President of Family Division to retire on ill-health grounds

The President of the Family Division and Head of Family Justice for England and Wales, Sir Nicholas Wall, is to retire on ill-health grounds.

Sir Nicholas took up the position of President of the Family Division on 13 April 2010. He will step down on 1 December 2012.

He was appointed a High Court judge in the Family Division in 1993 and to the Court of Appeal and Privy Council in 2004.

The President was set to chair an implementation board including those responsible for ensuring that changes proposed as part of the Family Justice Modernisation Programme.

Under the reforms, the President will lead the single family court unifying the various courts from magistrates upwards.

The Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge has written to the Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling, to request that the process of identifying the next President takes place at the same time as that for finding a successor to Sir Andrew Morritt.

Sir Andrew is to retire as Chancellor of the High Court in January 2013.