Sue Lascelles Carr, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, DBE, PC (born 1 September 1964) is an English judge who has served as Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales since 1 October 2023. She is the first woman to serve as the head of the judiciary of England and Wales since the inception of the office of Lord Chief Justice in the 13th century. Carr previously served as a High Court judge from 2013 to 2020 and a Lady Justice of Appeal from 2020 to 2023.

Carr was born on 1 September 1964 to businessman Richard Carr and Edda Harvey (née Armbrust).^[1] She was educated at Wycombe Abbey, an independent girls' school in Buckinghamshire, later serving as a governor of the school for 13 years. Carr read modern languages and law at Trinity College, Cambridge.^[1][2]

Carr was called to the bar in 1987 and practised from 4 New Square Chambers. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2003.^[3] On 6 May 2009, Carr was appointed a recorder,^[4] and was approved to serve as a deputy High Court judge.^[5]

Carr was the chairman of the Professional Negligence Bar Association in 2007 and 2008, and the chairman of the Conduct Committee of the Bar Standards Board from 2008 to 2011.^[2] In April 2011, Carr was appointed Disciplinary Commissioner in proceedings before the International Criminal Court.^[6]

On 14 June 2013, Carr was appointed a High Court judge in the room of Mr Justice Stadlen,^[5][7] receiving the customary appointment as Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE).^[8] She was assigned to the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court.^[2] She was a member of the board of the Judicial College from 2014 to 2018, and served as a member of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal from 2014 to 2016.^[2][9] Carr is a governing bencher of the Inner Temple.

Carr was appointed to the Court of Appeal on 21 April 2020,^[10] and was succeeded as a High Court judge by Mr Justice Calver.^[11] Carr was sworn of the Privy Council on 28 April 2021.^[12]

On 15 June 2023, Carr's appointment as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales was announced.^[13] She became the first woman to head the judiciary of England and Wales since the inception of the office in the 13th century.^[14][15][16] Carr chose to be styled Lady Chief Justice and succeeded Lord Burnett of Maldon on 1 October.^[17] Her swearing-in on 2 October was the first time that the ceremony was livestreamed.^[18] On 6 November, she was created a life peer as Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, of Walton-on-the-Hill in the County of Surrey.^[19] She was introduced to the House of Lords on 30 November.^[20][21]

Carr married Alexander Birch in 1993. They have two sons and a daughter.^[1][2]