The Supreme Court

• Judges with political significance:

  • high court judges
  • court of appeal
  • supreme court
• since 2005 the supreme court has made the judiciary more independent because it separated the judiciary from the house of lords
• Both House of parliament can only become involved in the removal of judges over misconduct not decision making, removing political pressure from gov
• Lords Chief Justice is now head of judiciary not the Lord Chancellor
• Before 2005 the House of Lords was the highest court in the UK
• Before the new act the old system had:

  • 12 “lords of appeal” - law lords who were expected to be neutral
  • Lord Chancellor as head of the law lords, speaker of the HoL, cabinet minister and head of the judiciary
• Supreme court was established in 2005 and composed of 12 senior judges knows as Justices of the supreme court
• A vacancy leads to a special selection commission would be established
• Judge can only be removed by a vote in both houses of parliament and only for misconduct