Mr Justice Peter Smith has been found guilty of misconduct by the Office for Judicial Complaints (OJC) after refusing to stand down from a case over which he was presiding.

The outcome of the OJC investigation was announced today (18 April), with Smith receiving an official reprimand over his actions. However, he has not been suspended and will continue to sit in court.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, and the Lord Chancellor, referred Smith to the OJC last July after he refused to stand down from Howell and ors v Lees-Millais and ors even though an application had been lodged for him to do so.

The application was filed by Addleshaw Goddard private client head Paul Howell, who was a named party in the case.

It has been reported that Smith and Addleshaws were in negotiations for the judge to join the firm. However, the talks reportedly broke down after five months of discussions.

Phillips commented: "I consider that a firm line has now been drawn under this matter. Both I and the Lord Chancellor value the services of Mr Justice Peter Smith and he has my full confidence."

The news comes with some top lawyers questioning the accountability of judges once they advance to the Bench.

A Legal Week poll last year found there was widespread support for judges to be assessed by court-users, with senior litigators identifying the quality of the judiciary as a major factor behind the length and expense of some trials. Nearly half (43%) of respondents said they would 'definitely' support the introduction of an 'upward appraisal' of judges.