Anne Rafferty


Dame Anne Judith Rafferty, , officially styled The Right Honourable Lady Justice Rafferty, is an English jurist, who has served as a Lady Justice of Appeal of England and Wales since 2011.

Career

Educated at Wolverhampton Girls' High School and a graduate of the University of Sheffield, Rafferty was the first woman Chair of the Criminal Bar Association. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1990 and a Recorder the following year. In 1999, she was promoted Deputy High Court Judge, before her appointment to the High Court of Justice in 2000, when she was assigned to the Queen's Bench Division; she received the customary accolade of the realm as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Among the more notable trials over which she presided as a High Court Judge are those of Paul Burrell and teacher Sion Jenkins.
In 2011, Rafferty was appointed to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales with effect from 5 July, and was sworn of the Privy Council.
In November 2014 Rafferty's appointment as Chancellor of the University of Sheffield was announced, to replace Sir Peter Middleton in Summer 2015.
In 2019, she became known for overturning the decision that Boris Johnson was to face three allegations of misconduct in public office, amongst them lying that the UK was sending £350m a week to Brussels.

Personal life

Lady Justice Rafferty is married to fellow jurist, Judge Brian Barker, the now retired Recorder of London; they have four daughters.