Types of courts in the UK

All of the courts in the UK are managed and operated by Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS). HMCS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. All courts in England and Wales are designed to deliver justice using a number of different courts:

• County Court
• Magistrates' Court
• Crown Court
• Royal Courts of Justice
• Youth Court

County Courts

There are 216 County Courts in the country. The County Court is often called the Small Claims Court as it deals with debt-repayment cases. Generally, the County Courts deal with:

• Personal injury
• Breach of contract regarding goods or property
• Divorce and other family issues
• The repossession of houses
• Claims for debts

Magistrates' Court

The magistrates' courts are where the vast majority of the criminal cases are heard. These courts also deal with a wide range of civil cases including:

• Hearing cases of people that have not paid their council tax bills
• Granting betting, gambling and alcohol licenses
• Hearing cases that deal with families and children
• General family law matters

Crown Court

In the Crown Courts cases are heard by a judge and a 12-person jury. There are currently 77 Crown Courts across England and Wales. Crown Courts deal with serious crimes including:

• Robbery
• Rape
• Murder

Royal Courts of Justice

The Royal Courts of Justice is divided into a number of specific groups each with their own courts. These groups include:

• The Court Appeal
• High Court
• Administrative Court (formerly known as the Crown Office)

Youth Court

The Youth Courts are special types of Magistrates' Court that hear cases that deal with young offenders aged between 10 and 17. Specially trained Magistrates handle Youth Court cases. However, more serious offences can be referred to the Crown Court.

If you would like to obtain legal advice about the court system, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local specialist solicitor free of charge.  So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.

Last Updated on 16/10/2012