Law Weblog

Thursday 1 October 2009 at 6:49 am | In News | Post Comment Today, The Supreme Court for the United Kingdom opens, replacing the House of Lords Judicial Committee as the final court of appeal. Today is the start of the Michaelmas term and the former Law Lords will become Justices being sworn in at a ceremony in the new building near Parliament.

The court is independent of Parliament and the new court is the final court of appeal in all matters other than criminal cases in Scotland, as was the House of Lords

The Ministry of Justice has spent £59m separating the court from the House of Lords legislative body and Lord Phillips will be the first President of the Supreme Court, sitting with 10 other Justices who were until last month the Law Lords.

Its first case today will be a relatively minor issue relating to legal costs, but next week will decide a case concerning terrorist suspects whose assets have been frozen.

Some commentators have criticised the change, arguing that it is largely a cosmetic exercise and completely unnecessary, decided on a whim by Tony Blair.