Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland

Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
since 2 September 2021
Judiciary of Northern Ireland
StyleThe Right Honourable
NominatorPrime Minister, following consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission
AppointerMonarch
Term lengthDuring good behaviour
subject to mandatory retirement at 75
Constituting instrumentJudicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978
PrecursorLord Chief Justice of Ireland
Inaugural holderSir Denis Henry, Bt
Formation1922
Deputythe senior available Lord Justice of Appeal
Salary£238,868
Websitewww.judiciaryni.uk

The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is a judge who presides over the courts of Northern Ireland and is the head of the Northern Irish judiciary. The present Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland is Dame Siobhan Keegan. Her counterpart in England and Wales is the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and in Scotland her equivalent is the Lord President of the Court of Session. The position was established with the creation of Northern Ireland in 1922, and was preceded by the position of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland prior to the partition of Ireland.