Judges are appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the prime minister, who receives recommendations from a selection commission.

Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the King by the issue of letters patent,[8][9] on the advice of the Prime Minister, to whom a name is recommended by a special selection commission.

The Prime Minister is required by the Constitutional Reform Act to recommend this name to the King and not permitted to nominate anyone else.

[17] The selection must be made on merit, in accordance with the qualification criteria of section 25 of the Act (above), of someone not a member of the commission, ensuring that the judges will have between them knowledge and experience of all three of the UK's distinct legal systems, having regard to any guidance given by the Lord Chancellor, and of one person only.

[18] Once the commission has selected a nomination to make, this is to be provided in a report to the Lord Chancellor,[19] who is then required to consult the judges and politicians already consulted by the commission before deciding whether to recommend (in the Act, "notify") a name to the Prime Minister, who in turn advises the King to make the appointment.

The Act provides for up to three stages in the Lord Chancellor's consideration of whether to do so: The Supreme Court was established on 1 October 2009.

Lord Dyson stood down to become Master of the Rolls on 1 October 2012, the first time a Justice had left the Court to take up another judicial office.

[1] Following a Royal Warrant dated 10 December 2010,[3] all Justices of the Supreme Court who are not already peers are granted the judicial courtesy title of Lord or Lady followed by a surname, territorial designation or a combination of both, for life.

The robe has no train, and the flap collar and shoulder caps bear the Supreme Court insignia.

The Baroness Hale of Richmond took to wearing a black velvet Tudor bonnet with gold cord and tassel which is the common headwear for doctorates in British academical dress.