William Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk 

For other persons named William Cullen, see William Cullen (disambiguation).

William Douglas Cullen, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk, KT, PC, FRSE, Hon FEng (born 18 November 1935), is one of the senior members of the Scottish Judiciary. He was appointed as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session in 2001.1 He is a cross bench member of the House of Lords and was created a life peer in 2003, as Baron Cullen of Whitekirk, of Whitekirk in East Lothian, having been previously known as Lord Cullen by courtesy of his membership of the Court of Session.

William Douglas Cullen was educated at the High School of Dundee and the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1960 and was Standing Junior Counsel to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise from 1970 to 1973. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1973 and served as an Advocate Depute from 1978 to 1981.2

Lord Cullen was a Chairman of Medical Appeal Tribunals from 1977 until his appointment as a judge in 1986.2 From 1988 to 1990 he conducted the Public Inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster and in 1996 he chaired the Public Inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School.23 In October 1999 he was appointed to chair the Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry.2 He was Lord Justice Clerk and President of the Second Division of the Inner House from 1997 to 2001.1

In March 2002, Lord Cullen led the 5-judge tribunal which heard the failed appeal of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi against his conviction for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.4

On 25th June, 2005, he was elected President of the Saltire Society, replacing The Right Honourable The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, K.T.5

On 15 July 2005 Lord Cullen announced his intention to retire in November 2005. On 24 November the Scottish Executive announced that Arthur Hamilton, Lord Hamilton, a member of the Inner House of the Court of Session, would succeed him as the new Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session.6

On 30 November 2007 Lord Cullen was appointed Knight of the Thistle.7 He was formally knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony in Edinburgh on 2 July 2008.8

References

  1. ^ a b "Scottish Judicial Appointments". 10 Downing Street (2001-11-13). Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
  2. ^ a b c d "Scottish judge heads train crash inquiry", BBC News, British Broadcasting Corporation (2000-09-29). Retrieved on 16 July 2008. 
  3. ^ The Hon Lord Cullen (1996-10-16). The Public Inquiry into the Shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996. London: The Stationery Office. ISBN 0-10-133862-7. OCLC 60187397. Retrieved on 2008-05-31. 
  4. ^ King, Diane (2002-03-14). "Lockerbie bomber loses his appeal", The Scotsman, Johnston Press Digital Publishing. Retrieved on 16 July 2008. 
  5. ^ Saltire Society Website
  6. ^ "Lord Hamilton is new Lord President", The Journal of the Law Society of Scotland, Connect Communications (Scotland) Limited (2005-11-24). Retrieved on 15 July 2008. 
  7. ^ "Public honour for retired judge", BBC News, British Broadcasting Corporation (2008-07-02). Retrieved on 15 July 2008. 
  8. ^ "Queen creates two new Knights of the Thistle", The Times, Times Newspapers Ltd (2008-07-02). Retrieved on 15 July 2008. 

External links

Legal offices
Preceded by
Lord Ross		 Lord Justice Clerk
1997–2001		 Succeeded by
Lord Gill
Preceded by
Lord Rodger		 Lord Justice General
2001–2005		 Succeeded by
Lord Hamilton
Persondata
NAME Cullen, William Douglas, Baron Cullen of Whitekirk
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session (2001 - 2005)
DATE OF BIRTH 18 November 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH