Role and Composition

• Opened in 2009 following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005
• Consists of 12 members but cases are always heard by an odd number (2016/17 11 judges sat at the case over whether parliament or government should initiate UK leaving EU)
• Currently there are 10 male and 2 female justices
• Supreme Court justices have served as senior justices for at least 2 years or been a qualified lawyer for at least 15 years
• Appointment process: nominations by 5 member independent selection commission, lord chancellor then confirms or rejects nomination. Then confirmed by PM then monarch
• Final court of appeal for judgements made in lower courts and criminal cases
• Rules whether devolved bodies have acted beyond their remit
• Supreme Court Success

  • 2018: the SC rules that police could be sued for compensation following an injury where 76 was knocked over
  • 2016: the justices clarified that a law related to gang murder had been wrongly interpreted for 30 years
• Supreme Court Failures

  • Exam garde algorithm challenge 2021: Sc faced scrutiny when an algorithm was used to set exam grade in England
  • John Worboys release block 2018: sc blocked release of so called "black-cab rapist" raising questions about parole and public safety
  • Civil partnerships infringement 2018: sc found that preventing opposite sex couples fro entering civil partnerships infringed on human rights and relevant legislation was declared incompatible