Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

highest court of appeal in most of the United Kingdom

The Supreme Court (initialism: UKSC or the acronym: SCOTUK) is the final court of appeal in the United Kingdom for civil cases, and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Cornish: An Lys Gorughel
Irish: An Chúirt Uachtarach
Scots: The Supreme Coort
Scottish Gaelic: An Àrd Chùirt
Welsh: Y Goruchaf Lys
Middlesex Guildhall in London is where the court is located and held at
Established1 October 2009
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocationMiddlesex Guildhall, Parliament Square, London, England
Coordinates51°30′01″N 0°07′41″W / 51.5004°N 0.1281°W / 51.5004; -0.1281
Composition methodAppointed by the Monarch
(Queen-on-the-Bench)
on the advice of the Prime Minister, following approval of a recommendation by the Secretary of State for Justice
Authorized byConstitutional Reform Act 2005, Part 3, Section 23(1) and s. 23 (whole section)[1]
Number of positions12
Websitesupremecourt.uk/,%20https://supremecourt.uk/cymraeg.html
President
CurrentlyLord Reed
Since13 January 2020
Deputy President
CurrentlyLord Hodge
Since27 January 2020

It hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance.[2]

Current Justices

PortraitNameBornAlma materInvestedMandatory
retirement
Prior senior judicial roles
The Lord Reed
of Allermuir

(President)
7 September 1956
(age 67)
University of Edinburgh School of Law
Balliol College, Oxford
6 February 20127 September 2026Senator of the College of Justice:
Inner House (2008–2012)
Outer House (1998–2008)
Lord Hodge
(Deputy President)
19 May 1953
(age 70)
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
University of Edinburgh School of Law
1 October 201319 May 2023Senator of the College of Justice,
Outer House (2005–2013)
Lady Black
of Derwent
1 June 1954
(age 69)
Trevelyan College, Durham2 October 20171 June 2024Lady Justice of Appeal (2010–2017)
Justice of the High Court, FD (1999–2010)
Lord Lloyd-Jones13 January 1952
(age 72)
Downing College, Cambridge2 October 201713 January 2022Lord Justice of Appeal (2012–2017)
Justice of the High Court, QBD (2005–2012)
Lord Briggs
of Westbourne
23 December 1954
(age 69)
Magdalen College, Oxford2 October 201723 December 2024Lord Justice of Appeal (2013–2017)
Justice of the High Court, CD (2006–2013)
Lady Arden
of Heswall
23 January 1947
(age 77)
Girton College, Cambridge
Harvard Law School
1 October 201823 January 2022Lady Justice of Appeal (2000–2018)
Justice of the High Court, CD (1993–2000)
Lord Kitchin30 April 1955
(age 69)
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge1 October 201830 April 2025Lord Justice of Appeal (2011–2018)
Justice of the High Court, CD (2005–2011)
Lord Sales11 February 1962
(age 62)
Churchill College, Cambridge
Worcester College, Oxford
11 January 201911 February 2032Lord Justice of Appeal (2014–2018)
Justice of the High Court, CD (2008–2014)
Lord Hamblen23 September 1957
(age 66)
St John's College, Oxford
Harvard Law School
13 January 202023 September 2027Lord Justice of Appeal (2016–2020)
Justice of the High Court, QBD (2008–2016)
Lord Leggatt12 November 1957
(age 66)
King's College, Cambridge
Harvard University
City Law School
21 April 202012 November 2027Lord Justice of Appeal (2018–2020)

Justice of the High Court, QBD (2012–2018)

Lord Burrows17 April 1957
(age 67)
Brasenose College, Oxford
Harvard University
2 June 202017 April 2027None (First Justice to be appointed direct from academia)[3]
Lord StephensDecember 1954
(age 69)
University of Manchester1 October 2020December 2024Lord Justice of Appeal (NI) (2017–2020)

Justice of the High Court (NI) (2007–2017)

References