Judge warned over misconduct in own divorce proceedings

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Divorce: Judge signed documents in then wife’s name

A deputy district judge has received a formal warning for misconduct over how he presented his financial situation in divorce proceedings.

Dinshaw Printer, a solicitor who practises as a family lawyer, was investigated after the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) received two complaints about his conduct.

According to the JCIO, these alleged that he had managed his matrimonial finances in a way that called his integrity into a question, and that he had failed to disclose a material change to his financial position during court proceedings.

The Guide to Judicial Conduct reminds judges to manage their financial affairs in a prudent manner, and that they should ensure their conduct maintains public confidence in the judiciary.

DDJ Printer denied the majority of the allegations but accepted that he had signed documents in his then wife’s name and that he had failed to update the court.

The investigating judge appointed by the JCIO dismissed most of the allegations but found that, although there was no evidence that DDJ Printer had attempted to defraud anyone by signing financial documents on behalf of his then wife, the action still amounted to misconduct.

“Furthermore, they found that DDJ Printer had deliberately failed to disclose a material alteration to his financial position during court proceedings.

“While accepting that DDJ Printer did update the court before the final deadline, that this was not an attempt to hide assets, and the delay in disclosure would not affect the final decision, the investigating judge considered that this action amounted to misconduct.”

The JCIO said that the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood agreed with the investigating judge’s recommendation that DDJ Printer be reprimanded.