Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters. The House of Lords, however, lost its judicial functions upon the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in October 2009; those in office became Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and lost their right to speak and vote in the House of Lords until their retirement as Justices of the new court.
Read more about Law Lords: Ranks and Titles, House of Lords, Size, Senior and Second Senior Law Lord
Famous quotes containing the words law and/or lords:
“The great King of kings
Hath in the table of his law commanded
That thou shalt do no murder. Will you then
Spurn at his edict, and fulfill a man’s?
Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand
To hurl upon their heads that break his law.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)