The Council of Peers is the highest court of appeal in the Kingdom of Sivad, which may hear appeals from any Sivadian or colonial court. The appeals are in practice heard by the Judicial Committee, which consists of specially appointed peers called the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (commonly referred to as the "law lords") as well as peers who held "high judicial office" such as justices of the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court. All cases before the Peers are heard only when the law lords grant leave to appeal, and this happens only infrequently. The law lords announce their decision in speeches given before the Council, and their decisions are binding, with no further appeal.