Visit UKSCLord Hope of Craighead, KT
Former Justice
James Arthur "David" Hope, Lord Hope of Craighead, KT was the first Deputy President of the Supreme Court, having previously served as Second Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary.
Lord Hope was appointed Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 1996. Prior to this he practised at the Scottish Bar for 24 years.
He was educated at The Edinburgh Academy and Rugby School. After national service with the Seaforth Highlanders he studied at Cambridge University, where he read Classics, and at the University of Edinburgh, where he read Law. In 1965 he was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates. He became a Queens Counsel in 1978.
After serving as Advocate Depute since 1978, he was in 1986 elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. In addition he was Chairman of the Medical Appeal Tribunal and the Pensions Appeal Tribunal from 1985 to 1986. In 1989 he was appointed to the Bench direct from the Bar as Lord Justice General of Scotland and Lord President of the Court of Session. In 1992 he broke new ground by permitting an experiment in televising trials in Scottish courts for documentary purposes.
He has been Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde since 1998.
