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What is the UKSC?
What is the UK Supreme Court?
Can the UKSC offer judicial support?
Does the UKSC provide legal advice?
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (initialism: UKSC) is the final court of appeal in the United Kingdom for all civil cases, and for criminal cases originating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
hears appeals on arguable points of law of general public importance. concentrates on cases of the greatest public and constitutional importance. maintains and develops the role of the highest court in the United Kingdom as a leader in the common law world.
Significance to the UK. Role of The Supreme Court. UK judicial system. The Supreme Court and Europe. International engagement. Introductory film.
- The Role of The UKSC
- The Building
- Facilities
- Access to Information and Advice
- Professional Users
Why was the UKSC established?
The UKSC was established to achieve the complete separation of the United Kingdom's senior judges from the upper House of Parliament, emphasising the independence of the then Law Lords (now UKSC Justices) and increasing transparency at the top of the judicial system. In August 2009 the Law Lords moved out of the House of Lords (where they sat as the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords) into their own building on the opposite side of Parliament Square. They sat for the first time as Just...
How does the UKSC fit into the UK's courts system?
The UKSC replaced the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the highest court in the United Kingdom in October 2009. The Court hears appeals on arguable points of law of the greatest public importance, for the whole of the United Kingdom in civil cases, and for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in criminal cases. The UKSC also hears cases on devolution matters under the Scotland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Government of Wales Act 2006. This jurisdiction was transf...
England and Wales
1. The Court of Appeal, Civil Division 2. The Court of Appeal, Criminal Division 3. (in some limited cases) the High Court
Why was the Middlesex Guildhall chosen as the home of the UKSC?
When the decision was made to establish the UKSC, a comprehensive evaluation of a number of buildings within the central London area was undertaken. This property evaluation exercise was based on the statement of requirements agreed with the Law Lords and the initial search generated a long-list of 48 properties. After closer scrutiny against a number of criteria (size, operational efficiency, adaptability and suitability), five of these merited further consideration, and the Middlesex Guildh...
Why was the building called the "Middlesex Guildhall"?
The building which is home to the UKSC was built in 1913 as the headquarters for Middlesex County Council and Quarter Sessions. The Council was abolished (through the formation of the Greater London Council) in 1965 and the building subsequently became Middlesex Crown Court. In 2007, the Crown Court closed its doors and the building underwent a two-year renovation prior to opening as the UKSC in October 2009.
Why is there not the Royal Coat of Arms in every courtroom?
As a United Kingdom court (hearing civil appeals from the whole of the United Kingdom and criminal appeals from England, Wales and Northern Ireland), the decision not to use the Royal Coat of Arms in the courtrooms took account of the provisions of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 and the fact that different versions of the Coat of Arms are used in different parts of the UK. The decision also took account of the fact that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council also sits in the bui...
What are the opening hours of the UKSC?
The UKSC is open to the public from 0930 to 1630 (last entry) Monday to Friday. Legal teams may enter from 0830 on days when the court is sitting. The UKSC is closed on weekends except for special occasions such as Open House London weekend, which are advertised on the front page of this website. Those who are interested in finding out about the history of the building after hours or at the weekend can download our audio guide of the outside of the building which highlights its rich architect...
How do I get to the UKSC?
Please see our How to find ussection for details of our location and travel information.
Is the UKSC wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the UKSC is completely wheelchair accessible.
How do I ask for information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act or submit a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act?
We aim to make as much information as possible available through our FOI Publication Scheme. If the information you require is not available through our Publication Scheme you may send your request to : Freedom of Information The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Parliament Square London SW1P 3DB foi@supremecourt.uk Remember that the FOI Act gives you the right to ask for recorded information held by public authorities, and if it is held, to be provided with that information, subject to cer...
Does the UKSC provide advice on legal matters?
The UKSC does not provide a legal information or advice service. Registry staff can only advise on procedural matters in relation to the cases which come before it. The UKSC's judgments are available as part of our Publication Scheme and can be viewed on the Decided casessection of this website. Back to top
Scam emails
Please note that members of the public have received fraudulent e-mails using the UK Supreme Court's name, address and telephone number. They also sometimes list a member of staff that can be contacted, none of whom exist. Read more. Back to top
Can I appeal to the UKSC?
The Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court can be found in Practice Direction 1. This describes the courts by which your case must have already been heard before you can apply for permission to appeal to the UKSC. We have also produced: 1. A guide to appealing to The Supreme Court (PDF) 2. Guide to proceedings for those without a legal representative.
Is Legal Aid available for taking cases to the UKSC?
In certain circumstances, yes. However, the UKSC does not make decisions about whether or not legal aid should be granted to parties (though it may determine the amount of costs to be paid by parties following a hearing). Your legal professional will be able to advise on the process for seeking such aid, the system for which is co-ordinated by the Legal Aid Agency(for England and Wales, other bodies are responsible in Scotland and Northern Ireland).
I have exhausted all my domestic remedies. How do I obtain a letter to enable me to go to European Court of Human Rights?
You should contact the Court of Appeal, or the court you wish to appeal from, which will provide you with the required letter.
UK Supreme Court. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 made provision for the creation of a Supreme Court for the United Kingdom. There had, in recent years, been mounting calls for the creation of a free-standing Supreme Court separating the highest appeal court from the second house of Parliament, and removing the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary ...
Jun 27, 2022 · The UK Supreme Court (UKSC) was established in October 2009 under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (CRA 2005). It was created as part of a push to strengthen the separation of powers in the UK constitution, by removing the judiciary (the Law Lords) from the upper house of the UK legislature (the House of Lords).
The UKSC. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom was established by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. The Supreme Court is a wholly independent court of appeal which further separates the powers exercised by the judiciary and the upper house of parliament in the UK.
