Supreme Court making legal history by sitting in Belfast this week

The court hears appeals on arguable points of law of the greatest public importance, for the whole of the United Kingdom in civil cases, and for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in criminal cases.

Tomorrow and Wednesday the case the court will hear in Belfast will be that of Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd in which justices will hear arguments on whether the bakery directly discriminated against a customer on the grounds of sexual orientation when it refused to produce a cake with a ‘Support Gay Marriage’ slogan.

Today it will hear a case of a Co Antrim woman who is campaigning to access a widowed parent’s allowance which she has been denied because she was not married to her partner.

The justices will sit in the Inns of Court Library at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast, where Supreme Court president Lady Hale will be joined by deputy president Lord Mance, Lord Kerr (former lord chief justice of Northern Ireland), Lord Hodge and Lady Black for up to four days of hearings.

Explaining the reason for the visit, Lady Hale said: “I am delighted that the Supreme Court will be sitting in Belfast in 2018. As the final court of appeal for the United Kingdom, we hear cases of profound importance to everyone in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“My colleagues and I strongly believe that the experience of watching a case in person should not be limited to those within easy reach of London. This is the second time that the court has sat outside London and doing so is becoming an established feature of the court’s calendar.

“Whilst in Belfast we shall hear two significant appeals from the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland. This will be a fantastic opportunity for local people to see the court in action on their doorstep.

“The Supreme Court is committed to being one of the most open and accessible in the world and, like all our hearings, our Belfast cases will be live streamed via our website for everyone who cannot get to see us in person.”

The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Sir Declan Morgan, said he regarded it as “extremely significant” that the court is now sitting outside London and was pleased that Belfast has been chosen as one of the earliest locations in the court’s calendar.

“I believe it is important for people in this jurisdiction to have the opportunity to see the work of the court at first hand, which can only help to enhance public confidence in the administration of justice,” he said.

Judgment will also be given in the two linked cases of R V McCool and R v Harkin, in which a Londonderry couple will appeal against confiscation of their assets after being found guilty of benefit fraud.

All hearings will be open to the public and free of charge to access, located at the Inns of Court Library at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast,

Footage of all the court proceedings will be live streamed at www.supremecourt.uk/live/court-01.html