Courtesy Titles in The United Kingdom - Judicial Courtesy Titles

Judicial Courtesy Titles

Following the creation of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the first Justices of that Court held life peerages, and continued to hold them. However, the Government has announced that future appointees will not be created peers, and the first non-peer appointed to the Court was Sir John Dyson. In order to avoid any distinction between the Justices of the Court, by Royal Warrant all Justices of the Supreme Court not holding a peerage are styled as if they were life peers, and retain the style for life. Thus, Sir John Dyson is now styled as Lord Dyson. Wives of male justices not holding a peerage are styled as if they were wives of peers.

In Scotland, Senators of the College of Justice (judges who sit in the Court of Session) use the title Lord or Lady along with a surname or a territorial name. All Senators of the College have the honorific, The Honourable, before their titles, while those who are also Privy Counsellors or peers have the honorific, The Right Honourable. Senators are made Privy Counsellors upon promotion to the Inner House. For example, Alastair Campbell is known as The Honourable Lord Bracadale, whilst Ronald Mackay is known as The Right Honourable Lord Eassie. Some Senators also hold peerage titles, such as The Lady Clark of Calton, and these would be used in place of judicial titles.