Senior Courts Act 1981, Section 13 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 05 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
(1)When sitting in the Court of Appeal—
(a)the Lord Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls shall rank in that order; and
(b)[F2judges of the Supreme Court] and persons who have been Lord Chancellor shall rank next after the Master of the Rolls and, among themselves, according to the priority of the dates on which they respectively became [F2judges of the Supreme Court] or Lord Chancellor, as the case may be.
[F3(2)Subject to subsection (1)(b), the President of the Queen's Bench Division shall rank next after the Master of the Rolls.
(2A)The President of the Family Division shall rank next after the President of the Queen's Bench Division.
(3)The Chancellor of the High Court shall rank next after the President of the Family Division.]
(4)The vice-president or vice-presidents of the divisions of the Court of Appeal shall rank next after the [F4Chancellor of the High Court]; and if there are two vice-presidents of those divisions, they shall rank, among themselves, according to the priority of the dates on which they respectively became vice-presidents.
(5)The Lords Justices of Appeal (other than the vice-president or vice-presidents of the divisions of the Court of Appeal) shall rank after the ex-officio judges of the Court of Appeal and, among themselves, according to the priority of the dates on which they respectively became judges of that court.
(6)The puisne judges of the High Court shall rank next after the judges of the Court of Appeal and, among themselves, according to the priority of the dates on which they respectively became judges of the High Court.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 13 substituted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59, 148, Sch. 11 para. 26(1); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
F2Words in s. 13(1)(b) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 145, 148, Sch. 17 para. 22(5); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(e)
F3S. 13(2)-(3) substituted (1.10.2005) for s. 13(2)(3) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 125(2); S.I. 2005/2505, art. 2(c)
F4Words in s. 13(4) substituted (1.10.2005) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 125(3); S.I. 2005/2505, art. 2(c)
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