TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

Law Lords [1 record]

Record 1 2008-03-07

English

Subject field(s)
  • Courts
  • Position Titles
OBS

Terms usually used in the plural

OBS

Law Lords. A colloquial term signifying sometimes the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and sometimes the rather larger body of persons who may sit in the House of Lords in its judicial capacity to hear appeals.

OBS

Judges are the only Canadians still entitled to be addressed as if they were peers of the realm, but the nation's supreme law lords and ladies have voted to renounce their "anachronistic" titles. "Counsel are asked to refrain from addressing the judges as 'my lord', 'my lady', 'your lordship' or 'your ladyship'," instructs a notice handed out last week to lawyers at the beginning of the Supreme Court of Canada's fall session. "Supreme Court judges, in court or otherwise, would prefer to be referred to as 'Justice Smith' or 'Justice Jones' rather than 'my lord' or 'my lady'," Justice Major said in an interview. "My lord" and "my lady" remains the standard form of address in Canadian appeal courts, and is also used by some federally appointed trial courts. Provincial court judges, however, are addressed as "your honour". "Your honour" is now used by judges in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. federal courts, except in the United States Supreme Court, where "Justice" is the correct form of address.

Key term(s)
  • law lord

French

Domaine(s)
  • Tribunaux
  • Titres de postes
OBS

Terme habituellement utilisé au pluriel.

Key term(s)
  • lord juriste

Spanish

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