Employment Judge Tim Kenward formally warned after 46 outstanding judicial matters and failure to self-report delays
An employment judge has received a formal warning from the Lady Chief Justice after an investigation uncovered 46 outstanding judgments, written reasons, case management orders, and reconsideration decisions left incomplete across three regions over a period spanning March 2023 to August 2024.
The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) issued a statement on 22 June 2026 confirming that Employment Judge Tim Kenward had been sanctioned following a complaint alleging a sustained pattern of delay. Crucially, the complaint also highlighted that Judge Kenward had failed to self-report the delays to his leadership judges, a requirement under expected judicial standards, for an extended period.
A nominated judge, appointed to investigate the matter under the Judicial Conduct Rules 2023, found that the delays and the prolonged failure to flag them demonstrated a clear lack of the diligence and care that judicial officeholders are required to display. The investigation concluded that the conduct created operational harm, posed a risk of harm to parties directly affected by the outstanding decisions, and caused reputational damage to the tribunal service. The nominated judge classified the conduct as serious misconduct.
Judge Kenward did not contest the findings. He expressed sincere remorse, accepted full responsibility for the delays, and acknowledged that his failure to self-report fell short of the expected standard. He referenced a combination of personal and professional pressures as context, though he did not put these forward as an excuse. He also confirmed that he has since taken active steps to prevent similar oversights from recurring.
The nominated judge recommended that a formal warning, rather than a more severe sanction, was appropriate, citing Judge Kenward’s acceptance of responsibility, his efforts to address the situation, and compelling personal mitigation as factors in his favour.
The Lady Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor agreed with both the findings and the recommendation. In reaching their decision, they noted that Judge Kenward was a relatively recently appointed salaried judge, that he had demonstrated genuine insight and remorse, and that he was no longer behind on his judgments at the time of the decision.
Under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the sanctions available for judicial misconduct are, in increasing order of severity: formal advice, formal warning, reprimand, and removal from office. A formal warning represents the second level of the four-tier framework.