New online course offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Supreme Court

Program produced in collaboration with Royal Holloway Uni

The Supreme Court offers the public the opportunity to go “behind the scenes” and gain a free understanding of the inner workings of the country’s highest court.

The Supreme Court today launched “Inside the UK Supreme Court: its role, its work and the cases that concern us all”his very first online course in collaboration with Royal Holloway, University of London.

Over the course of the two-week course, participants will learn from RHU academics, current and former court staff and judges, the Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) and their role in society.

The course requires four hours of weekly study and covers the role, history and function of the Supreme Court; its international standing, including a comparison with the United States Supreme Court; and its landmark decisions. It was developed by the FutureLearn social learning platform.

Once participants understand the structure and functioning of the higher court, they will explore six landmark decisions, such as the 2018 human rights case. Lee Bakery vs. Ashers and the most recent Uber BV vs. Aslam case and its implications for labor law. After hearing the background of each case and a selection of arguments put forward in court, they can step into a judge’s shoes and vote on what they would decide before finding out the outcome of the case.

Some familiar faces appear on the course, including former Supreme Court President Lady Hale and current President Lord Reed.

Lord Reed said: “We are delighted to partner with Royal Holloway to offer our very first free online course to provide individuals with the opportunity to learn more about the role and position of the Supreme Court in the UK and in the Commonwealth. “

“It’s a great way to share a behind-the-scenes look at how we handle cases and to dive in depth into some recent judgments,” he continued. “We hope that people from across the UK and around the world register for the course and find it interesting, engaging and fun to follow. “

Registration for the course opens today and will begin on Monday, February 21. Participants of all ages and backgrounds are invited to complete it at their own pace, within two weeks.