Supreme Court Flashcards
What does the final court of appeal mean?
It hears appeals from senior courts in the UK
What is the European court of justice?
The highest court in the EU in matters of EU law
What is the relationship between the ECJ and UK Supreme Court?
The ECJ interprets EU law and masked sure all member states are abiding by this, it sets binding precedents that must be followed by all national courts
What is judicial review?
The process by which judges review the actions of public officials or public bodies in order to determine whether or not they have acted in a manner that is lawful.
What did the constitutional reform act do?
Reduced the power of the lord chancellor and placed most senior judicial appointments into the hands of a new, independent judicial appointments commission.
How many Law lords are there?
12
Why was the Supreme Court established?
- concerns over the incomplete separation of powers
- criticisms over the appointment process
- confusion over the work of the law lords
What are the functions of the Supreme Court?
- act as the final court of appeal
- clarify the meaning of the law
What are secret soundings?
The informal and secretive way in which most senior UK judges were once appointed. Describes the way in which the lord chancellor consulted in secret with close associates.
What is a qualifying practitioner?
Someone who has a senior courts qualification
What are the requirements to be a justice of the Supreme Court?
- held a high judicial office for at least 2 years
- been a qualifying practitioner for 15 years
How many justices were Oxbridge graduates?
10
How many Supreme Court justices are women?
1
What are the “twin pillars” of the UK constitution ?
Rule of law
Parliamentary sovereignty
According to dicey what are the three main strands of the rule of law?
- no one can be punished without trial
- no one is above the law
- general principles of the constitution result from the judges decisions rather than from parliamentary statute
What does judicial independence mean?
- principle that those in the judiciary should be free from political control
- independence allows judges to do the right thing and apply justice properly
What is judicial neutrality?
- where judges operate Impartially in their administration of justice
- essential requirement of the rule of law
How is judicial independence maintained?
- security of tenure - must retire by age 75
- guaranteed salaries
- growing separation if powers
- independent appointments system
What precedent did the Factortame case establish?
The ability of the Supreme Court to suspend acts of Parliament where they contradict EU law
How has the HRA caused the UK judiciary to become more politicised?
HRA has drawn senior judges into the fray by requiring them to rue on the merit of an individual piece of statute law as opposed to its application