The Lord or Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary of England and Wales and the president of the courts of England and Wales.
Until 2005 the lord chief justice was the second-most senior judge of the English and Welsh courts, surpassed by the lord chancellor, who normally sat in the highest court. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 changed the roles of judges, creating the position of President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and altering the duties of the lord chief justice and the lord chancellor. The lord chief justice ordinarily serves as president of the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal and head of criminal justice, meaning its technical processes within the legal domain, but under the 2005 Act can appoint another judge to these positio...
Main article image
1stLordTrevethin.jpg
Alfred Lawrence, 1st Baron Trevethin (1843-1936)
After Sir Martin Archer Shee (1769-1850) - Lloyd, First Baron Kenyon (1732-1802) - RCIN 401359 - Royal Collection.jpg
Charles Lord Russell LCJ by JD Penrose.png
Portrait of Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen, Lord Chief Justice
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the style used by ...
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2024, lesser arms).svg
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the style used by ...
Dame Sue Carr 2022.jpg
The Right Honourable Dame Sue Lascelles Carr, Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the Brit...
Dame Sue Carr 2022 (cropped).jpg
The Right Honourable Dame Sue Lascelles Carr, Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the Brit...
George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem by William Wolfgang Claret.jpg
Gordon Hewart LCJ by John Lander.jpg
Portrait of Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart (1870-1943), Lord Chief Justice
HenryRolle.jpg
Henry Rolle (1589-1656)
Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester by Francis Delaram.jpg
Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, Lord Chief Justice
James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough.jpg
James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough (1550-1629), oil on panel,
23 in. x 19 in. (584 mm x 483 mm)
John Bramston attrib Peter Lely.jpg
Sir John Bramston, Lord Chief Justice
John Glynne (1602-1666), by follower of Sir Peter Lely.jpg
John Glynne (1602-1666)
John Keeling after JM Wright.jpg
Sir John Keeling, Lord Chief Justice
Judge Campbell, Chief Justice of England.jpg
Portrait of John Campbell, 1st Baron Campbell (1779-1861)
A painting from the Framed Works of Art co...
Lord-ellenborough.jpg
Lord Coleridge LCJ by EU Eddis.JPG
Portrait of John Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge (1820-1894)
Lord Tenterden LCJ by William Owen.jpg
Portrait of Charles Abbott, 1st Baron Tenterden, Lord Chief Justice
Marcus the Younger Gheeraerts - Edward Coke Lord Chief Justice.jpg
Edward Coke in the robes of The Lord Chief Justice, by Marcus the Younger Gheeraerts