On 12 June, 2003, the Government announced its intention to create a new Supreme Court to replace the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the UK’s final court of appeal. In July, the newly created Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) published its consultation paper, Constitutional Reform: A Supreme Court for the UK, seeking views as to the form and responsibilities of the new Supreme Court.
The jurisdiction of the Appellate Committee, or the House of Lords, as it is colloquially known, traces its origins back to the medieval councils who advised the king on legal matters. It has survived until today thanks to Victorian legislation which put it on a formal statutory footing, although it has been seen as increasingly anomalous in the 21st century.
