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03/2012 - News release
Trio of judicial appointments to the Supreme Court
26 February 2013
Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court, today welcomes the announcement of three appointments to the Court.
Lord Justice Hughes
Lord Justice Hughes will succeed Lord Dyson, who became Master of the Rolls in October 2012. Lord Justice Hughes will take up his role at the Supreme Court on Tuesday 9 April, the first day of the Easter Term. He has been a member of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales since 2006, and is Vice-President of its Criminal Division.
Lord Justice Toulson
Lord Justice Toulson will succeed Lord Walker, who retires on 17 March 2013. Lord Justice Toulson will also be sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court on Tuesday 9 April. He has been a member of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales since 2007, having served as Chairman of the Law Commission of England and Wales between 2002 and 2006.
Lord Hodge
Lord Hodge will succeed Lord Hope, one of the two Scottish Justices, who retires on 27 June 2013. Lord Hodge will not take up his role until the beginning of the new legal year, in October 2013. He was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice in 2005, and sits in both the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary.
The three appointments were made by Her Majesty The Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following the recommendation of an independent selection commission. The commission consulted across each of the Supreme Court's three United Kingdom jurisdictions before making their recommendations.
Lord Neuberger comments: "Recommending three appointments for a Court of twelve naturally represents an important set of decisions. All members of the selection commission were keenly aware of the significance of the task we faced. We encouraged applications from a broad qualified pool, and took careful soundings from all those who were statutorily required to be consulted.
"The three names which have emerged represent a talented trio of judges, all of whom have already made notable contributions to the development of the law in their judicial careers. Lord Justice Hughes, Lord Justice Toulson and Lord Hodge are each replacing an outstanding member of the court, but they are jurists of the highest calibre and I very much look forward to working alongside them in their new roles."
Lord Justice Hughes said: "This is a great honour for me. I look forward to the challenge."
Lord Justice Toulson said: "I am extremely fortunate to become a member of the court which has supreme responsibility, subject to Parliament, for upholding and developing the law in the UK, and deeply conscious of my obligations to the judicial system and the public which it serves."
Lord Hodge said: "I am very honoured to have the opportunity to serve as a member of the Supreme Court. I look forward to working with my colleagues from the three jurisdictions of the United Kingdom."
Lord Hope's forthcoming retirement also means that a new Deputy President must be appointed. Expressions of interest will be invited from the existing Justices. This process will be supervised by the same selection commission which sat to make the recommendations referred to above.
Ends
Notes to editors
The appointments were announced today by 10 Downing Street. The official announcement can be viewed on the Number 10 website.
UKSC contacts
Ben Wilson - Head of Communications
020 7960 1887
Anthony Myers - Deputy Head of Communications
020 7960 1886