Chancellor, Lord High The Lord Chancellor (UK). The chief judicial officer in the British Constitution. Originally he was an ecclesiastic who acted as the Kings secretary, and was keeper of the Kings conscience. He is appointed by the delivery of the Great Seal, of which he is the keeper. He is Privy Councillor and acts as Speaker of the House of Lords, where he sits on the Woolsack. He is the President of the Supreme Court (Supreme Court Act 1981 (UK), s.l(2) and of the House of Lords sitting as the final Court of Appeal. He appoints the justices of the peace and the circuit judges, and nominates the judges of the High Court except the Lord Chief Justice. He is a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Chancellor is responsible generally for public records (Public Records Act. 1958 (UK), s. 1).