"Judges who will form the highest court in the United Kingdom are set to be sworn in on Thursday in a major milestone in British legal history.The Justices of the Supreme Court are replacing the Law Lords as the final court of appeal for almost all cases in the United Kingdom. The court is independent of Parliament and will hear the most important cases.
Lord Phillips, President of the Supreme Court, said the change in their form was important for judicial openness.The £59m Supreme Court, which sits opposite Parliament in London, opens after it was first announced six years ago. Its first 11 members were until last month the Law Lords who would have otherwise heard the same cases in the House of Lords.
But the constitutional change that led to the Supreme Court's creation means that Parliament's lawmakers and the judges charged with overseeing legislation, have finally been separated. I would hope that the court is still sitting in 100 years time and that when people look back at this step that they see it as a very significant step in the constitution of this country.
The change brings the UK into line with many other countries around the world. The new court will act as the final court of appeal in all matters other than criminal cases in Scotland. The swearing in will see Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, become the first President of the Court. He will be joined by 10 other colleagues in taking an oath of allegiance to uphold the law. A final twelfth member of the court will be appointed at a later date."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8283939.stm