Supreme Court Visit!

Today started out, just as early as it did yesterday. But the difference was, I got up and was ready to go and ate breakfast and everything! I was on top of the world today! Anyways, like I'm sure most of my journey's will include, we took the tube to the Supreme Court! Which happened to be right in front of the tower that holds Big Ben and Westminster Abbey! We haven't went there and toured yet, but it will be on our list of things to do!

The CJ group in front of the Clock Tower that hold Big Ben!...and oh yes, we did hear that shit!

Besides the fact that it was cold, I would think its safe to say, that I am a BAMF! 

Anyways, after getting across the park to the Supreme Court building I looked up and noticed just how beautiful it was. There were carvings in the building and everything. I know I've said this before, but I really do love the detail in all the buildings here in London!

This is the front of the Supreme Court building! Look at how amazingly detailed it is! 

These are the two emblems on both sides of the doors to the front of the building. 

After gawking at the building and meeting up with Dr. Nobilings friend/our tour guide for tomorrow Constable Richard Watson who just from the few minutes we were with him seemed really awesome, we were able to go inside. This security system was much like the one yesterday, where we had to take off our coats and put our purses in the box to go through the scanner. The only difference was were were actually able to take our cameras inside! ANNND take pictures. So even though I don't have pictures right now...I will...don't worry!

There are 3 court rooms in the Supreme Court building. The interesting thing is the UK didn't establish a Supreme Court until 2005, and didn't open it until 2009. Before that, the building was used as one of  the Crown Courts of the area. The Supreme court sees civil and criminal cases and everything is recorded by video cameras (which is very different from the United States). They accept about 80 cases a year and get in between 200 and 250 applications a year. In order for the Supreme Court to accept a case it must be an arguable point of law with a general public interest. Unlike the Crown Courts, the Supreme Court is very informal and relaxed, more businesslike. In Crown Courts, (which we will see on Saturday) they wear wigs and gowns. Some things changed when the Supreme Court started. The senior legislatures that were part of the Crown Court moved over and started being the Legislatures of the Supreme Court. Unlike in Crown Court, if a Legislature moves to the Supreme Court they loose the right to vote, and the ability to get into the building was much easier. If someone is in the Supreme Court, they are required to retire at the age of 70, but if they choose (at least the ones that are old right now) they can go back and sit in the House of Lords (like I said, the newer Legislatures can't do that anymore). In order to become a Legislature in the Supreme Court an individual must have 15 years of legal experience  But they don't have to have been judges before, they just have to have any form of legal experience.

Right in the middle of the wall there is an emblem designed by Sir Peter Blake. Who designed the 1967 Beatles Album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

This this emblem represents the four floral emblems of the United Kingdom. They compromise of a Tudor rose (which represents England) conjoined with leaves of a leek (representing Wales), a flax for Northern Ireland, and a Thistle (representing Scotland). 

Not only is this emblem found in this room, and different areas of the Supreme Court building, it is also the design in the carpet, and in the curtains! It is pretty intense, and apparently has caused a lot of controversy but I thought it was pretty cool.

The first courtroom that we were in was very modern and sleek, and the second one was much more traditional.

Here is a picture of the Criminal Justice group in the second room we visited. 

This is the first courtroom that we visited, much more modern than the other one. 

Yeah, I'm pretty much a big deal. 

These are pictures of the second court room that we visited, it was much more old school.

After learning about some of the History of this room we were able to go up and watch the Supreme Court case that was going on in the last courtroom. You could either go in and watch, or watch what was going on, on a TV screen. I chose not to go in because I liked to make fun of what was going on. I mean the Legislatures were just making fun of the guy that was presenting the case, and the lawyers behind the presenter were trying really hard not to laugh. So it was safe for me with my loud mouth to just stay in the lobby. 

After watching what was going on in the Courtroom for awhile we got to go down and look at the small museum in the basement. It was pretty interesting and I got some sweet pictures

It was finally time for us to leave so we made our way back to the Tube to begin our adventure back to the hotel. Got some pretty awesome pictures on the way back....which will be coming soon! 

But for now I am off to do more awesome things in London! Cheers!