Information on the UK court system

If you want to make a claim at court, it can be difficult to know which court to make your application to. There are many different types of courts in the UK system each with their own jurisdiction, specialisation and seniority. The court hierarchy also allows for an appeals system.

Once you know to which court to apply, the whole process can still be quite mystifying. There is a whole raft of legal terminology to do with court procedures, court orders, enforcement and appeals.

In the following sections we have set out the basics of the UK court system and court procedures to help you, including:

• Types of courts
• Appeals
• Court judgments
• Costs
• Court procedure
• Your role and rights at court
• Enforcement of court orders

Our sections on Court Procedure and Your Role and Rights are particularly useful for explaining the court processes and what will be expected of you in court. If you want specific information on a particular court you can find that courts own section under Types of Court.

You may also find our Terminology section useful, which is located under the General Legal Information area of law. This section explains common words and phrases used in law.

If you are looking for expert legal advice, please call us on 0800 1777 162 and let our experienced case handlers match you to the right solicitor for your needs.