Miss Angela Cahill JP is removed from office after failing to meet magistrates sitting requirements
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office has confirmed the removal from office of Angela Cahill JP, a magistrate in the Central London Local Justice Area, following a failure to meet mandatory sitting requirements.
In a statement issued on 16 January 2026, a JCIO spokesperson said the decision was taken by the Lord Chancellor, with the agreement of the Lady Chief Justice. Miss Cahill was removed from office for failing, without a reasonable excuse, to meet the minimum number of sittings required of a magistrate.
Under the terms of appointment, magistrates are required to sign a declaration and undertaking committing to sit for at least 13 full days, or 26 half days, each year. Where a magistrate fails to meet that requirement without an acceptable reason, they are expected to resign. Magistrates are also required to maintain regular contact with their bench chair.
The JCIO said the matter was dealt with under the summary process set out in the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2023. These rules allow a regional conduct advisory committee secretary to recommend removal from office without further investigation where a magistrate has failed, without reasonable excuse, to meet the minimum sittings requirement.
The London Conduct Advisory Committee recommended Miss Cahill’s removal after concluding that she had failed to meet the minimum sittings requirement for the past two years. The committee also found that she had not engaged with repeated attempts by bench leadership teams to address the shortfall.
According to the JCIO, the committee considered there was no realistic prospect of Miss Cahill achieving the required level of sittings. It noted that she had cancelled all future sittings and had completely disengaged from the bench.
Miss Cahill was given the opportunity to make representations in response to the proposed recommendation. However, the JCIO said she did not respond to the committee’s recent attempts to contact her about the matter.
Having considered the recommendation and the circumstances of the case, the Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice agreed that Miss Cahill should be removed from office without further investigation. The JCIO confirmed that the decision reflected the seriousness of failing to meet the basic commitments required of magistrates and the absence of any engagement or explanation from the office holder.
The JCIO publishes outcomes of disciplinary matters involving judicial office holders as part of its role in maintaining standards, accountability and public confidence in the judiciary.