John Waite (judge)

Sir John Douglas Waite (born 3 July 1932) is an English barrister and former Lord Justice of Appeal.^[2][3] Sir John was also the former Chair of the Independent Asylum Commission.^[4]

The Right Honourable Sir John Waite
Lord Justice of Appeal
Personal details
Born	John Douglas Waite (1932-07-03) 3 July 1932 (age 93)[1] Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Julia Tangye, Lady Waite
Residence(s)	London, England
Alma mater	Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Occupation	Judge
Profession	Barrister

Education and career

Sir John Waite studied at the Sherborne School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and was President of the Cambridge Union in 1955.^[5] After National Service in the Royal Artillery, he was called to the bar (Gray's Inn) in 1956. He took silk in 1975.

He was appointed to the High Court of Justice in 1982, receiving the customary knighthood. He sat in the Family Division of the High Court until 1993, when he was promoted to the Court of Appeal, and was sworn of the Privy Council. He retired in 1997.^[6]

Sir John Waite was also the chair of the children’s charity UNICEF UK for seven years. In 2008, he spoke about the origins and work of the Independent Asylum Commission and the implications of its review and recommendations.^[7]