Dame Caroline Jane Swift, Lady Openshaw, (born 30 May 1955), formerly styled The Hon. Mrs Justice Swift, is a British barrister and former High Court judge. She was leading counsel to the Inquiry in the Shipman Inquiry, which began in 2001. Swift was educated at St Aidan's College,

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

where she was the President of the

Durham Union Society The Durham Union Society (DUS), commonly referred to as the Durham Union, is a debating society, founded in 1842, by the students at Durham University. It is the largest society associated with the university, with over 3,000 members in resid ...

. She was called to the Bar by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1977. The following year she began practising on the

Northern Circuit The Northern Circuit is a circuit of the General Council of the Bar and English judiciary. The Northern Circuit stretches from Carlisle in Cumberland at its northernmost point, running through Lakeland to the port of Whitehaven in the West, ...

, later becoming Assistant Recorder from 1992 until 1995, and QC in 1993. She became a Recorder in 1995, and was elected a

Bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher c ...

of the Inner Temple in 1997. On 4 November 2005, Swift was created a DBE upon her appointment as a Justice of the High Court (

Queen's Bench Division The King's Bench Division (or Queen's Bench Division when the monarch is female) of the High Court of Justice deals with a wide range of common law cases and has supervisory responsibility over certain lower courts. It hears appeals on point ...

). Her husband, Sir Peter Openshaw, is also a High Court Judge, and was sworn in on the same day." Swift retired from the High Court on 1 August 2015. From 1 January 2017 Swift was appointed to the position of chair of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

References

1955 births Living people Alumni of St Aidan's College, Durham English King's Counsel English women judges Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Bench Division judges 20th-century King's Counsel 21st-century King's Counsel Members of the Inner Temple Presidents of the Durham Union 20th-century English women 20th-century English people Lawyers awarded damehoods {{UK-law-bio-stub

See also

References