摘要
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 made fundamental changes to the UK constitution. It created the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the highest court), reformed the office of Lord Chancellor, established the Judicial Appointments Commission, and enshrined the principle of judicial independence in statute for the first time.
要点
- Guarantee of continued judicial independence — duty on ministers to uphold (s.3)
- Lord Chancellor need not be a lawyer or a member of the House of Lords (s.2)
- Lord Chancellor's oath to respect the rule of law and defend judicial independence (s.17)
- Supreme Court of the United Kingdom — established as the highest domestic court (Part 3)
- 12 Justices of the Supreme Court, including a President and Deputy President
- Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) — independent body to select judges on merit (Part 4)
- Separation of judicial role of Lord Chancellor from legislative and executive functions