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29 July 2020 / Alec Samuels
Issue: 7897 / Categories: Features , In court , Constitutional law
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A Supreme review & a constitutional revolution

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Alec Samuels details a decade of the UK Supreme Court

In brief

  • Independence and identity.
  • Constitutional, public law and human rights issues.
  • A separation of powers.

The creation of the UK Supreme Court a decade or so ago was a constitutional revolution. The judges left the House of Lords. They obtained their own building. They look to be a new institution. They are now called justices. They are no longer peers, but knighted, appointed to the Privy Council, and given the courtesy title of Lord or Lady. How is the institution working?

Independence

The Supreme Court has developed a strong sense of independence and identity, sitting in its own building in Parliament Square, virtually running its own affairs, managing its own budget, appointing the chief executive who determines the staffing, making its own rules, and controlling its own docket, about 70 cases a year. Modern technology is used to the full. The justices and counsel are unrobed. The proceedings are transparent, and televised, and oral and

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