So you're expecting a post about the beginning of the 2009-10 term of the United States Supreme Court? This isn't it.
This is a post about Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Hope of Craighead, Lord Saville of Newdigate, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry, Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, Baroness Hale of Richmond, Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood, Lord Mance, Lord Collins of Mapesbury, Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore, and Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony.
Who?
These are the initial justices (along with, I believe, one more to be named) of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. According to its web site, the Supreme Court will:
- be the final court of appeal for all United Kingdom civil cases, and criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- hear appeals on arguable points of law of general public importance
- concentrate on cases of the greatest public and constitutional importance
- maintain and develop the role of the highest court in the United Kingdom as a leader in the common law world
So why is today — the first Monday in October — such a big day?
Actually, a date of more importance was last Thursday, October 1, on which the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom came into being (replacing "the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords," according to this press release). Today, October 5, carries its own importance, though, marking the day on which the new Supreme Court heard its first case, which, according to this news story, is "an appeal by five terrorism suspects
who say the British government has overstepped its power by freezing
their assets without a conviction." Perhaps of some surprise (disappointment?) to more than a few readers, the justices "wore no wigs, no robes and sat
in a new courtroom equipped with cameras and microphones for their
first hearing."
Bummer. I so love the wigs.
Additional reading (and some pictures) here, here, here, here, and here.
Photo source here.