Sir Robert Douglas Carswell, Baron Carswell was born 28 Jun 1934, the son of Alan Edward Carswell (d. 1972) and Nance Eileen Corlett (d. 2000)|
He married Romayne Winifred Ferris, daughter of James Ferris, in 1961. 2
Sir Robert Douglas Carswell, Baron Carswell was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. He graduated from Pembroke College, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). He graduated from Pembroke College, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, in 1956 with a Master of Arts (M.A.). 1 He was a practising barrister [Northern Ireland] in 1957.
He graduated from Chicago University, School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., in 1958 with a Doctor in Jurisprudence (J.D.) and was Counsel to the Attorney-General of Northern Ireland between 1970 and 1971.
In 1971 he was invested as a Queen's Counsel (Q.C.). By 1979 he held the office of Bencher of Northern Ireland in 1979 and then was Senior Crown Counsel of Northern Ireland between 1979 and 1984.
Robert held the office of Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ulster between 1984 and 1994 and wass invested as a Knight in 1988.
He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1993 and held the office of Lord Justice of Appeal of the Supreme Court [Northern Ireland] between 1993 and 1997.
He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) by Ulster University, Ireland, in 1994.
He held the office of Lord Chief Justice [Northern Ireland] in 1997 and was created Baron Carswell, of Killeen in the County of Down [U.K. Law Lord] in 2004.
He held the office of Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2004.