Lord Chancellor (Noun)
Meaning
The highest officer of the Crown who is head of the judiciary and who presides in the House of Lords.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The Lord Chancellor is responsible for ensuring that the government upholds the rule of law and respects the independence of the judiciary.
- In the past, the Lord Chancellor had a key role in advising the monarch on matters of state, but this function has largely been taken over by the Prime Minister.
- As head of the judiciary, the Lord Chancellor has the power to appoint and dismiss judges, although this power is now largely exercised in consultation with other senior judges.
- The Lord Chancellor is also responsible for presiding over the House of Lords, where he sits as a judge and has a casting vote in the event of a tie.
- Historically, the Lord Chancellor was the chief executive of the Court of Chancery, but this function has been abolished and the court has been merged with the Queen's Bench Division.