Brian Kerr, Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore
Brian Francis Kerr, Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore, PC ( born February 22, 1948) is a British judge and was from 2004 until early July 2009, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. In June 2009 he was appointed last Law Lord.
Life and career
Kerr was born on 22 February 1948 as the son of James William Kerr and his wife, Kathleen Rose, nee Murray, from Lurgan, County Armagh. He attended St Colman 's College in Newry and studied law at Queen's University of Belfast.
In 1970, he was approved by the Bar of Northern Ireland and 1974 of the Bar of England and Wales to the Bar Gray 's Inn. In 1983 he became Attorney-General and was approved in 1990 by the Law Society of King's Inns. In 1997 he was. Honorary Bencher at Gray 's Inn and 2004 at King 's Inn
From 1978 to 1983 he was Junior Crown Counsel for Common Law and from 1988 to 1993 Senior Crown Counsel.
In 1988 he was Chairman ( Chair ) of the Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland.
1993 Kerr was appointed as a judge of the High Court and got the usual appointment as Knight Bachelor. In 2004 he was appointed Lord Chief Justice and a member of the Privy Council. He has traditionally been the successor of Robert Carswell, Baron Carswell as Northern Irish Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, after he retired. He was on 1 October 2009 one of the first judges of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Kerr was 61 years at that time also the youngest member.
On 3 July 2009, Sir Declan Morgan, his successor as Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.
Kerr from 1995 to 2004 Member of the Judicial Studies Board Northern Ireland. From 1995 to 2001 he was a member of the Franco - British Judicial Co -operation Committee. He was from 1997 to 2001 Chairman of Distinction and Meritorious Service Awards Committee Northern Ireland. In 1999 he was Eisenhower Fellow for Northern Ireland.
Membership in the House of Lords
On 29 June 2009 he was appointed under the title Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore of Tonaghmore in the County of Down for Life Peer and introduced in the House of Lords on the same day. He is the last person who was appointed Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. On 1 October 2009 he was one of the judges of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Since 2009 he has been disqualified from participation.
- April to September 2009: 1 day
Family and Private
From the marriage with his wife, Gillian, ( born Widdowson ) had two sons. Kerr was educated as Roman Catholics, but his religious persuasion is not known.