header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
22 January 2009 / Brice Dickson
Issue: 7353 / Categories: Features , Legal services , Profession
printer mail-detail

End of term report

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

Brice Dickson reviews the performance of the law lords in 2008

The year just ended was the last in which the House of Lords will constitute the highest court in the . The biggest legal event of 2009 will be the transfer of the jurisdiction to the UK Supreme Court in October. Even though lawyers and judges tend to think in terms of legal rather than calendar years, a review of the output of their Lordships during the past 12 months will help to provide some baseline figures for future comparisons between the two institutions.

 

Decisions

In 2008 the House of Lords issued 74 decisions ([2008] UKHL 1 to [2008] UKHL 74), 16 more than in 2006 and exactly equal to the record annual number set in 2005. One of the decisions (R v GG plc [2008] UKHL 17) was subjected to reporting restrictions and is not available for analysis.

The 73 published decisions related, in all, to 91 appeals, as in 10 cases

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of litigation and dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: ‘Joe Donor’ ruling exposes dangers of unregulated conception
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
NLJ this week: CILEX warns Mazur ruling must spark reform
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
NLJ this week: Conditional job offers carry hidden risks for employers
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
NLJ this week: Diamond rings and broken promises

An engagement ring may symbolise romance, but the courts remain decidedly practical about who keeps it after a split, writes Mark Pawlowski, barrister and professor emeritus of property law at the University of Greenwich, in this week's NLJ

NLJ this week: The battle over medical report fees intensifies
Medical reporting organisation fees have become ‘the final battleground’ in modern costs litigation, says Kris Kilsby, costs lawyer at Peak Costs and council member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, in this week's NLJ
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll