ABSTRACT
The fairly recent past has seen what can only be described as enormous changes in relation to the judiciary. Not only has the new Supreme Court replaced the House of Lords as the highest court in the United Kingdom, but there has also been a change in the way in which judges are appointed and a reduction in the central role of the Lord Chancellor. The Judicial Appointments Commission makes recommendations to the Lord Chancellor and no one may be appointed whom the Commission has not selected. The Lord Chancellor may reject a candidate, once, and ask the Commission to reconsider, once. However, if the Commission maintains its original recommendation, the Lord Chancellor must appoint or recommend for appointment whichever candidate is selected. The JAC's role in the judicial appointments process begins when they receive a request from Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS), the Tribunals Service or on behalf of a tribunal outside the Tribunals Service.
