Law Lords
Selected letter
L
As highly qualified, full-time judges, the Law Lords carried out the judicial work of the House of Lords until 30 July 2009.
From 1 October 2009, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom assumed jurisdiction on points of law for all civil law cases in the UK and all criminal cases in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.
The 12 Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (the Law Lords) were appointed the first justices of the 12-member Supreme Court and were disqualified from sitting or voting in the House of Lords. When they retire they can return to the House of Lords.