Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Hale of Richmond
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Official portrait, 2024
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| President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 5 September 2017 – 11 January 2020 |
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| Nominated by | David Lidington | ||||||||
| Appointed by | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Reed of Allermuir | ||||||||
| Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 28 June 2013 – 4 September 2017 |
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| Nominated by | Chris Grayling | ||||||||
| President | The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury | ||||||||
| Preceded by | The Lord Hope of Craighead | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Mance | ||||||||
| Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 1 October 2009 – 28 June 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Office created | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lord Hamblen of Kersey | ||||||||
| Lord of Appeal in Ordinary | |||||||||
| In office 12 January 2004 – 30 September 2009 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Millett | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||
| Lady Justice of Appeal | |||||||||
| In office 1999–2003 |
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| High Court Judge | |||||||||
| In office 1994–1999 |
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| Appointed by | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 12 January 2004 |
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| Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong | |||||||||
| In office 30 July 2018 – 29 July 2021 |
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| Appointed by | Carrie Lam | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born |
Brenda Marjorie Hale
31 January 1945 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
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| Spouses |
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| Children | Julia Hoggett | ||||||||
| Alma mater | Girton College, Cambridge | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 何熙怡 | ||||||||
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Brenda Marjorie Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond, (born 31 January 1945) is a famous British judge. She is best known for being the first woman to serve as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. She held this top job from 2017 until she retired in 2020.
In 2004, she joined the House of Lords as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, which was the highest court in the UK at the time. She was the only woman ever appointed to this role. In 2009, this court was replaced by the new Supreme Court, and she became one of its first judges.
On 5 September 2017, Lady Hale was appointed President of the Supreme Court. She was the first woman and third person to have the job. She is one of only a few women ever appointed to the Supreme Court.
After retiring from the UK Supreme Court, Lady Hale also decided not to continue as a judge in Hong Kong's highest court. She was concerned about a new security law there. She was the first senior British judge to step down from the Hong Kong court after the law was passed.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brenda Marjorie Hale was born on 31 January 1945, in Leeds, England. Both of her parents were headteachers. She grew up in Richmond, North Yorkshire. She went to Richmond High School for Girls, where she and her two sisters all became head girl.
She was the first student from her school to go to Girton College, Cambridge. She studied law and was one of only six women in a class of 110 men. In 1966, she graduated at the top of her class.
After university, she became a law lecturer at the University of Manchester. She also began working part-time as a barrister (a type of lawyer who argues in court). For 18 years, she focused mostly on teaching and became a Professor of Law in 1986.
In 1984, she became the first woman and youngest person appointed to the Law Commission. This group suggests ways to improve laws. During her nine years there, she helped make important changes to laws about families.
A Career as a Top Judge
Lady Hale's journey as a judge began in 1989. She started as a part-time judge. In 1994, she became a full-time High Court Judge. When she was appointed, she was given the title Dame, a high honour.
In 1999, she became only the second woman to be appointed to the Court of Appeal. This is one of the highest courts in the country.
The UK's Highest Courts
In 2004, Lady Hale reached the very top of the UK's legal system. She was appointed as the first female Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. These judges, also called Law Lords, were members of the House of Lords and formed the highest court. She was given the title Baroness Hale of Richmond.
In 2009, the system changed. A new Supreme Court was created to be the final court of appeal. Lady Hale and the other Law Lords became its first judges. She later became the court's Deputy President in 2013 and then its President in 2017.
As a judge, Lady Hale believed that the courts should be more diverse. She wanted to see more women and people from different backgrounds become judges. She felt this would help the public have more trust in the justice system.
The 2019 Parliament Case
One of the most famous moments of her career was in September 2019. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had suspended Parliament for five weeks. This is called prorogation.
The case went to the Supreme Court. Lady Hale, as President, announced the court's decision. All eleven judges agreed that the Prime Minister's decision to suspend Parliament was unlawful. This meant Parliament had to be called back immediately. The ruling was a major event in British politics.
Lady Hale retired in 2020 when she reached the mandatory retirement age for judges.
Personal Life
In 1968, Lady Hale married John Hoggett. They had one daughter, Julia Hoggett, who is now the Chief Executive Officer of the London Stock Exchange. The couple separated in 1992.
In the same year, she married Julian Farrand, a fellow law professor. They were married until his death in 2020.
Lady Hale has appeared on TV and radio. In 2018, she was a guest judge on the cooking show MasterChef. In 2021, she was a guest on the popular BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs.
Honours and Awards
Lady Hale has received many honours for her work in law.
- In 1989, she was appointed as a Queen's Counsel, a title for top lawyers.
- In 1994, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
- In 1999, she became a member of the Privy Council, giving her the title "The Right Honourable".
- Many universities, including University of Cambridge and the University of Glasgow, have given her honorary degrees.
- In 2008, the University of Salford named its law building after her.
- In 2021, a passage into Gray's Inn in London, where many lawyers work, was named "Lady Hale Gate" in her honour.
Coat of Arms
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See also
In Spanish: Brenda Hale para niños
