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| Judges presiding over phone hacking cases elevated to higher office | Judges presiding over phone hacking cases elevated to higher office |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| In the last year they have presided over court cases in which some of the country's top barristers and highest paid lawyers have argued for and against News International and its former and current staff facing legal action over alleged phone hacking or corruption. | In the last year they have presided over court cases in which some of the country's top barristers and highest paid lawyers have argued for and against News International and its former and current staff facing legal action over alleged phone hacking or corruption. |
| But now the two judges who have presided over all the preliminary hearings in relation to both civil litigation in the high court and criminal charges in the crown court, linked to allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World and inappropriate payments to public officials by the Sun, are departing for higher office. | But now the two judges who have presided over all the preliminary hearings in relation to both civil litigation in the high court and criminal charges in the crown court, linked to allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World and inappropriate payments to public officials by the Sun, are departing for higher office. |
| Mr Justices Vos, a high court judge, and Fulford, a crown court equivalent, have both been elevated to become lord justices of appeal, Downing Street announced on Thursday. | Mr Justices Vos, a high court judge, and Fulford, a crown court equivalent, have both been elevated to become lord justices of appeal, Downing Street announced on Thursday. |
| They are both expected to be sworn in by the end of this legal year. | They are both expected to be sworn in by the end of this legal year. |
| It means Fulford will not be presiding over the trials of former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and that of the former director of communications at Downing Street, Andy Coulson, which have been pencilled in for early September. Both Brooks and Coulson deny any wrongdoing. | It means Fulford will not be presiding over the trials of former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and that of the former director of communications at Downing Street, Andy Coulson, which have been pencilled in for early September. Both Brooks and Coulson deny any wrongdoing. |
| The cases which relate to charges that emanated from Scotland Yard's Operation Weeting involve eight former News of the World staff. But he was also expected to preside over separate cases involving Brooks, her husband Charlie and several security staff, over charges linked to allegations that they conspired to pervert the court of justice. | The cases which relate to charges that emanated from Scotland Yard's Operation Weeting involve eight former News of the World staff. But he was also expected to preside over separate cases involving Brooks, her husband Charlie and several security staff, over charges linked to allegations that they conspired to pervert the court of justice. |
| Fulford has also managed all the cases in relation to charges of corruption of public officials, including the sentencing of a policeman and a former prison officer who were jailed on Wednesday for selling information to the Sun on the arrest of high profile celebrities and on Jamie Bulger's killer Jon Venables. | Fulford has also managed all the cases in relation to charges of corruption of public officials, including the sentencing of a policeman and a former prison officer who were jailed on Wednesday for selling information to the Sun on the arrest of high profile celebrities and on Jamie Bulger's killer Jon Venables. |
| While Fulford has dealt with the criminal charges, Vos has been a stalwart of the civil damages litigation against News International over News of the World phone-hacking, presiding over 14 case management conferences so far. | While Fulford has dealt with the criminal charges, Vos has been a stalwart of the civil damages litigation against News International over News of the World phone-hacking, presiding over 14 case management conferences so far. |
| Vos is a familiar sight to legions of law firms Linklaters, which represents News International and is one of the most expensive law firms in the country. The firm regularly has half a dozen representatives in the high court for Vos's case management hearings. | Vos is a familiar sight to legions of law firms Linklaters, which represents News International and is one of the most expensive law firms in the country. The firm regularly has half a dozen representatives in the high court for Vos's case management hearings. |
| He has handled all the civil litigation cases since Sienna Miller made the first claim in 2010, overseeing the first tranche of settlements last January, including a payout of £130,000 to Jude Law and £40,000 to the former deputy prime minister John Prescott. | He has handled all the civil litigation cases since Sienna Miller made the first claim in 2010, overseeing the first tranche of settlements last January, including a payout of £130,000 to Jude Law and £40,000 to the former deputy prime minister John Prescott. |
| The News of the World phone-hacking settlements was one of the highest profile cases of 2012 and attracted so much interest from media and solicitors acting for victims, there was standing room only in the high court's Rolls building. Vos accommodated the hordes by inviting journalists and lawyers to sit on the floor in front of his bench. | The News of the World phone-hacking settlements was one of the highest profile cases of 2012 and attracted so much interest from media and solicitors acting for victims, there was standing room only in the high court's Rolls building. Vos accommodated the hordes by inviting journalists and lawyers to sit on the floor in front of his bench. |
| Last week he was presiding again at the high court as it emerged that there could be up to 600 fresh cases of phone hacking after a former News of the World staffer turned supergrass. | Last week he was presiding again at the high court as it emerged that there could be up to 600 fresh cases of phone hacking after a former News of the World staffer turned supergrass. |
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