Thomas Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill

Thomas Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill
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Honorific-prefix	The Right Honourable
Name	The Lord Bingham of Cornhill
Office	Senior Law Lord
Term start	2000
Term end	2008
Predecessor	The Lord Browne-Wilkinson
Successor	The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
Office1	Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Term start1	1996
Term end1	2000
Predecessor1	The Lord Taylor of Gosforth
Successor1	The Lord Woolf
Office2	Master of the Rolls
Term start2	1992
Term end2	1996
Predecessor2	The Lord Donaldson of Lymington
Successor2	The Lord Woolf
Office3	Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Term start3	2000
Term end3	2008
Predecessor3	The Lord Browne-Wilkinson
Successor3	The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
Birth name	Thomas Henry Bingham
Birth date	13 October 1933
Birth place	London, England
Death date	11 September 2010 (aged 76)
Death place	London, England
Nationality	British
Spouse	Elizabeth Loxley (m. 1963)
Alma mater	Sedbergh School, Balliol College, Oxford
Profession	Barrister, Judge

Thomas Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill was a preeminent British judge whose career culminated in his service as the inaugural Senior Law Lord, the head of the judiciary. Renowned for his formidable intellect, clarity of expression, and profound commitment to the rule of law, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest jurists of the modern era. His judgments and extra-judicial writings significantly shaped English law, particularly in the fields of public law, human rights, and the relationship between national courts and international legal order.

Early life and education

Thomas Henry Bingham was born in London and educated at Sedbergh School in Cumbria. He performed National Service as a Second lieutenant in the 60th Rifles, serving in Germany after the Second World War. He subsequently read History at Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated with a first-class degree and was elected President of the Oxford Union. His academic prowess and early interest in law and debate laid a formidable foundation for his future career at the Bar.

Legal career

Bingham was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1959, joining the chambers of John May. He developed a highly successful practice in commercial law, taking silk as a Queen's Counsel in 1972. His practice at the Commercial Court and his involvement in major inquiries, including the 1985-86 investigation into the Department of Trade and Industry's supervision of the Johnson Matthey bank, established his reputation for forensic skill and integrity. He served as Chairman of the Bar Council from 1986 to 1987.

Judicial career

Bingham was appointed a High Court judge in 1980, receiving the customary knighthood, and was assigned to the Queen's Bench Division. He was promoted to the Court of Appeal in 1986 and became a Lord Justice of Appeal. In 1992, he ascended to the position of Master of the Rolls, head of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal. His tenure was marked by efforts to control litigation costs and improve procedural efficiency. In 1996, he succeeded Lord Taylor as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, where he became a leading voice on judicial independence and modernization.

Senior Law Lord

Following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Bingham became the first holder of the title Senior Law Lord in 2000, effectively serving as the president of the newly constituted Supreme Court (though the court itself was not physically established until 2009). In this apex role, he delivered landmark judgments that redefined British constitutional law. Key rulings included A v Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Belmarsh case), which declared indefinite detention of foreign terror suspects incompatible with the Human Rights Act, and R (Jackson) v Attorney General, which examined the limits of parliamentary sovereignty.

Later life and death

Upon his retirement from the House of Lords in 2008, Bingham remained intellectually active. He served as a non-permanent judge on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal and as a member of the Bank of England's Financial Services Authority Court. He also authored influential works, including *The Rule of Law* (2010). He died from cancer at his home in London on 11 September 2010.

Legacy and recognition

Lord Bingham's legacy is that of a transformative figure in the British legal landscape. He was a powerful advocate for the rule of law as a universal principle, a stance articulated in his celebrated book and lectures. His judicial philosophy emphasized legal certainty, access to justice, and the subordination of executive power to law. He received numerous honors, including the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire and several honorary degrees from institutions like the University of Oxford and Cambridge. The main building of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is named the "Bingham Building" in his honour, a testament to his foundational role in its creation and enduring stature.

Category:1933 births Category:2010 deaths Category:English judges Category:Members of the House of Lords Category:Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford