Historic Office and Honorary Recorders
In England and Wales, the Recorder was the senior judge of some important urban centres, which were given the right to appoint a Recorder by the Crown. Typically, the appointment would be given to a senior and distinguished practitioner at the Bar, and it was, therefore, usually executed part-time only, by a person whose usual practice was as a barrister. It carried a great deal of prestige.
The Recorder of London is a senior Circuit Judge sitting at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey). The office has an ancient association with the City of London.
Since the Courts Act of 1971, the system has been put on a statutory footing and some new positions have been created (for example, Redbridge). They are now usually filled by full-time judges as a recognition of seniority. To distinguish them from the modern system of part-time Recorderships (see below) which was set up in 1971, historic and full-time Recorders are now usually designated "Honorary Recorders" but are usually styled "The Recorder of Anytown" i.e. the name of the city or borough which has conferred the title. Slightly confusingly, due to the reorganisation of court buildings and the districts and circuits which have been relocated into them, especially where local government reorganisation has occurred at the same time, such titles although bestowed by one Council may be held by the Senior Resident Judge sitting in another borough; a leading example is that The Recorder of Westminster presides at Southwark Crown Court.
The senior circuit judge of a metropolitan area, for example Manchester, Liverpool or Cardiff, may have the title Honorary Recorder. The practice for appointment of Honorary Recorders is now to be found in the Lord Chief Justice's Guidelines for the Appointment of Honorary Recorders issued in October 2007.
Not all senior circuit judges are Honorary Recorders, but most Honorary Recorders are senior circuit judges.
Honorary Recorders who are also senior circuit judges may wear red robes (which carry more prestige) and are entitled to be addressed in Court as "My Lord/Lady" (like a High Court Judge) instead of "Your Honour" (like other circuit judges, including senior circuit judges who are not Honorary Recorders).
Read more about this topic: Recorder (judge)
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