Senator of the College of Justice

The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court of Session); Lords Commissioner of Justiciary (judges of the High Court of Justiciary); and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court. Whilst the High Court and Court of Session historically maintained separate judiciary, these are now one and the same, and the term, Senator, is almost exclusively used in referring to the judges of these courts.

Senators of the College use the title Lord or Lady along with a surname or a territorial name. Note, however, that some Senators have a peerage title, which would be used instead of the senatorial title. All Senators of the College have the honorific, The Honourable, before their titles, while those who are also Privy Counsellors or peers have the honorific, The Right Honourable. Senators are made Privy Counsellors upon promotion to the Inner Court.

Under section 11 of the Treason Act 1708, it is treason to kill a Senator of the College of Justice when he is sitting in judgement in exercise of the judicial office within Scotland.

History

In the past other officers of state were included as Senators, including the Lord Advocate, Lord Clerk Register, Master of Requests and the Secretary of State.

List of Senators

In addition to those listed below, the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court, The Hon. Lord McGhie, ranks as a Senator of the College of Justice.

Inner House

First Division

1. The Rt Hon. Lord Hamilton (Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session)
2. The Rt Hon. Lord Eassie
3. The Rt Hon. Lord Reed
4. The Rt Hon. The Lord Hardie PC
5. The Rt Hon. Lord Bonomy
6. The Rt Hon. Lord Emslie

Second Division

1. The Rt Hon. Lord Gill (Lord Justice Clerk)
2. The Rt Hon. Lord Osborne
3. The Rt Hon. Lady Paton
4. The Rt Hon. Lord Carloway
5. The Rt Hon. Lord Clarke
6. The Rt Hon. The Lord Mackay of Drumadoon PC

Outer House

1. The Hon. Lord Menzies
2. The Hon. Lord Drummond Young (Chairman of the Scottish Law Commission)
3. The Hon. Lady Smith
4. The Hon. Lord Brodie
5. The Hon. Lord Bracadale
6. The Hon. Lady Dorrian
7. The Hon. Lord Hodge
8. The Hon. Lord Glennie
9. The Hon. Lord Kinclaven
10. The Hon. Lord Turnbull
11. The Rt Hon. The Lady Clark of Calton PC
12. The Hon. Lord Brailsford
13. The Hon. Lord Uist
14. The Hon. Lord Malcolm
15. The Hon. Lord Matthews
16. The Hon. Lord Woolman
17. The Hon. Lord Pentland
18. The Hon. Lord Bannatyne
19. The Hon. Lady Stacey
20. The Hon. Lord Tyre
21. The Hon. Lord Doherty
22. The Hon. Lord Stewart

Retired judges

There are also some retired judges who still sit occasionally in the Court of Session or the Court of Criminal Appeal to hear cases if needed when there is a shortage of available judges. They are also called Senators of the College of Justice.

See also

Historic List of Senators of the College of Justice

External links

• Biographies of Senators