Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |
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Style |
The Right Honourable Lord or Lady |
Appointer | The Queen, on advice of the Prime Minister |
Term length | Life tenure; may be removed on the address of both Houses of Parliament |
Formation | 1 October 2009 |
Salary | £206,857 |
Website | http://www.supremecourt.uk/ |
Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom are the judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The Supreme Court is the highest in the whole of the United Kingdom for civil matters, and for criminal matters from the United Kingdom jurisdictions of England and Wales and Northern Ireland. The judges include the President, the Deputy President, and Justices. Judges are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, who receives recommendations from a selection commission. The number of judges is set by s.23(2) Constitutional Reform Act 2005, which established the Court, but may be increased by the Queen through an Order in Council under s.23(3). Judges of the Court are granted the style Lord or Lady for life.
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 sets out conditions for appointment as a President, Deputy President or Justice of the Court. That person must have held high judicial office (judge of the Supreme Court, English High Court or Court of Appeal, Northern Irish High Court or Court of Appeal, or Scottish Court of Session) for at least two years, or have held rights of audience at the higher courts of England, Scotland or Northern Ireland for at least fifteen years. This means it is not necessary for someone applying to become a judge of the Supreme Court to have previous judicial experience (allowing Jonathan Sumption QC, a leading barrister to successfully apply for the role in 2011).