Legal Cheek
A High Court judge has been reprimanded for “serious misconduct” after sending a handwritten love letter to a junior colleague.
Mr Justice Marcus Smith mentioned several “personal matters” in the letter and expressed his love for the colleague, asking about their feelings in return.
The letter made the colleague feel “distressed, angry, let down, and devalued”, leading them to report the matter and state that they did not want to work with the judge again or cross paths with him.
The colleague also revealed that before receiving the letter, the judge had asked them to go for walks with him and had confided in them about his relationship with his judicial leadership, according to the finding published by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO).
Read full report
High Court judge reprimanded for sending handwritten love letter to junior colleague
