The Judges

At the apex of the judicial system stands the Lord Chancellor and the Law Officers. These are political appointments and the holders are members of the government. Below them are the professional judges. The most senior are the Law Lords, the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, limited in number to a maximum of eleven. They are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister and they must have held high judicial office for at least two years. By virtue of their position they are members of the House of Lords and remain members even after ceasing to hold their judicial position. Indeed, they constitute the earliest form of life peers, the firs Lord of Appeal in Ordinary being created under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act of 1876.

The other most senior judicial appointments - Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls, President of the Family Division and the Lords Justices of Appeal - are also appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Lords Justices are drawn either from High Court judges or barristers of at least fifteen years’ standing. Other judges - High Court judges, Circuit judges and Recorders -are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. They are usually drawn from barristers with at least ten years’ standing, though a solicitor of ten years’ standing is eligible for consideration for appointment as a Recorder and a Recorder of five years’ standing may be appointed a Circuit judge. Magistrates are appointed by the Lord Chancellor. The top earners among barristers can achieve incomes in excess of $ 100 000 pounds (annual salary).

Notes*

apex of the system - верхівка системи	a circuit judge - суддя виїздного суду присяжних
by (in) virtue of - завдяки, через	a top earner -особа, яка одержує максимальну зарплату
President of the Family Division - голова відділення Високого суду в справах сім’ї	a recorder - мировий суддя з юрисдикцією у кримінальних та цивільних справах в містах та містечках

Talking Points*

What are the senior appointments of judges in Britain?

In what way are the senior appointments of the judges granted?

Are the senior judges highly salaried?

More about the Role of Parliament and the Political Parties …

· Parties are central to the British political system in both central and local government. The majority party in the House of Commons has virtually unrestricted access to the legislative and executive systems. The second largest party forms the official opposition, which shadows and criticises major policy areas. Britain has three main political parties who have large numbers of MPs - the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrat Party. These have placed themselves on a political spectrum, with Labour to the left, Conservative to the right, and the Liberal Democrats towards the centre.

· The British Government. The two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) are based at The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, in London. The palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the London borough of the City of Westminster, close to the government buildings of Whitehall. Parliament decides the laws and makes decisions on running the UK. (Some issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are now dealt with by their respective parliaments and assemblies.) There has been a parliament at Westminster since the 13th Century. The UK government is normally formed by the leader of the party that wins the most seats in the general election. All actions by the government - and particularly its proposals to amend or create laws - are scrutinised within parliament.

· The British Prime Minister. Unlike the US, British voters do not choose their Prime Minister (PM). He/she is voted for within the political party.

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