Lord Stephens to retire from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Supreme Court Justice Lord Stephens of Creevyloughgare has today (26th May 2026) announced that he is to retire from the Court on 7th April 2027.

Lord Stephens has served as a Justice of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council since 15 November 2017 and as a Justice of the Supreme Court since 1st October 2020. He was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1977, the Bar of England and Wales in July 1978 and to the Bar of Ireland in 1996. He was appointed to the High Court in 2007 and to the Court of Appeal in 2017.

Speaking as he made his announcement, Lord Stephens said:

“I have had the great honour of serving the citizens of the United Kingdom and the people of the Privy Council jurisdictions by upholding the rule of law. It has been a privilege to undertake this work, and an enormous pleasure to do this in collaboration with my colleagues on the Supreme Court, past and present. I will continue this work for the coming 11 months."

It is expected that the Lord Chancellor will now convene an independent Selection Commission to appoint Lord Stephens’ successor. A page on the Supreme Court website (Judicial Vacancies - Justice of the Supreme Court) has been created to explain the role of a Justice, and the application process. The page also has interviews with former and serving Justices about their career paths, why they applied to become a Justice, and what to expect in the role.