People are sharing “Supreme Court Facts” – 21 points of order
It’s Super Tuesday, it says here, which is the day that the Supreme Court decides whether the English courts were right to say that the prorogation of parliament is none of their business or the Scottish courts were right to say Boris Johnson had misled the Queen. Big stakes. One of legal Twitter’s finest, @BarristerSecret, decided to share some “facts” about how the Supreme Court works, using #SupremeCourtFacts:
There’s going to be a lot of misinformation over the next few days about the Supreme Court, so as a public service, I’d invite lawyers to share some little-known legal facts. I’ll start:
Each Supreme Court judge enters court to their own Diana Ross song.#SupremeCourtFacts
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) September 17, 2019
With a fine example like that, how could people resist? Here are our favourites so far.
1.
The eleven of the twelve judges sitting are the first team
The twelfth sits in a dugout out of camera view fully kitted up and ready to deputise, and is formally known as Justice Supersub#SupremeCourtFacts
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) September 17, 2019
2.
Former UKIP leader Paul Nuttall is the only Supreme Court judge ever to have retired in order to pursue a career as an astronaut. #SupremeCourtFacts
— Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) September 17, 2019
3.
Every time a barrister says “my learned friend” the judges all have to say raise their glasses, say “my learned friend” and have to take a drink of their beer. The last judge to do this has to drink a shot as a forfeit. #supremecourtfacts
— Alan Greene (@DrAlanGreene) September 17, 2019
4.
The reason that only 11 out of 12 judges are sitting is that, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (which created the Supreme Court), at least one judge must be available at all times to tend to the Privy Seal, a sea lion held in a tank underneath Court 1.#SupremeCourtFacts https://t.co/2aXWWJujss
— Raphael Hogarth (@Raphael_Hogarth) September 17, 2019
5.
The letters QC after a lawyer's name are an homage to Quentin Crisp.#supremecourtfacts
— Balderdash (@notDcfcBoss) September 17, 2019
6.
Court wigs are made from the matted pubic hair of elderly retired judges.#SupremeCourtFacts pic.twitter.com/jVP7glA0YB
— helen ayres (@Raphaelite_Girl) September 17, 2019
7.
Each Supreme Court justice wears billowing garb to accommodate a hidden EU commissioner controlling their every move#SupremeCourtFacts
— Mike Hind (@MikeH_PR) September 17, 2019
8.
Judges listen with their back turned to the court. When they hear something they like, they press their buzzer and their seat swings around to face the barristers. #supremecourtfacts
— carolyn johnston (@DrCJohn) September 17, 2019
9.
Each judge wears a ring of power, given to them by the Queen, who wears the master ring, which she forged in a cavern below Balmoral. #SupremeCourtFacts
— Brian H (@BJHorsburgh) September 17, 2019
10.
It used to be tradition that on the last day of each case, the judges were allowed to bring games. This was discontinued when The Lord Keith of Kinkel brought in his gameboy in 1993, which got broken and his mum wrote a terse letter to the Queen. #supremecourtfacts
— Maxonian Remoaner (@31ltolox) September 17, 2019
11.
For international viewers new to the workings of the UK Supreme Court, the best bit is when the Justices walk on at the start. #supremecourtfacts pic.twitter.com/y3Xz9Izxjq
— Mark Wallace (@wallaceme) September 17, 2019
12.
How the Supreme Court will line-up for today’s hearing: Hale in her familiar holding role, flanked by Reed and Kerr, with Kitchin and Sales operating as attacking wingers #Supremecourtfacts pic.twitter.com/EK0VnoeZxt
— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) September 17, 2019
