Assignment 1- The court structure
In this assessment, I will describe the hierarchy of the civil courts, the criminal court and the differences between the two hierarchies.
The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about the court structure and role of the different courts. A diagram of the court structure

Supreme Court- this is the highest judicial court in a country or state.
Court of appeal- the court of appeal is a court of law that hears appeals against both civil and criminal judgements from the Crown. This is the second higher court, high and County courts & consists of 2 divisions;
Civil and criminal divisions
In the civil division, the court of appeal hears appeals to do with civil law and family justice from the high court, tribunals and sometimes from the county courts. Whilst the criminal divisions hears appeals from the crown courts. Decisions of the High Court may be appealed to the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal.
Crown court- deals with indictable criminal cases that have been transferred from the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearing of serious criminal cases (such as murder, rape and robbery), cases sent for sentencing, and appeals. Cases are heard by a judge and a jury. Decisions of the Crown Court may be appealed to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. The county court also deals with civil (non-criminal) matters.
Magistrates courts trials of summary offences, committals to the crown court, family proceedings court and youth courts. Magistrates’ courts- hears all criminal cases. Serious criminal cases are transferred to the Crown Court after a preliminary hearing. Less serious cases criminal cases and those involving juveniles are tried in these courts. Some civil cases, including family proceedings, are also heard in these courts. Cases are presided over by one magistrate, who is legally qualified. Both civil and criminal decisions of the Magistrates’ Courts may be appealed to the County Courts.
High court (including divisions) - The High Court consists of 3 divisions,
• The Chancery Division
Companies court: deals with commercial fraud, business disputes, insolvency, company management & disqualification of directors.
Divisional court: deals with equity, trusts, contentious probate, tax partnerships, bankruptcy & land.
Patents courts: deals concerning interellectual property, copyright, patents & trademarks.
• The Family Division
Divisional court: deals with family matters from custody of the children, parentage, adoption, family homes, separation, domestic violence & medical treatments declaration
• The Queen’s Bench Division
Administrative court: hears judicial reviews, statutory appeals & applications for seeking relief from unlawful imprisonment, applications under drug trafficking act 1984 and criminal justice act 1988.
Admiralty court: deals with shipping and maritime disputes, collisions, salvage, carriage of cargo, limitation & mortgage disputes. This court can even arrest vessels & cargoes.
Commercial court: deals with cases arising from national & international business disputes.
Mercantile court: deals with international and national business disputes that involves issues or involve claims of lesser value and complexity than those heard by the Commercial Court
Technology and Construction court: this is a specialist court that deals with principally with construction disputes that involves issues or questions which are technically complex. In some of the court sessions a specialist TCC judge may be desirable
County court- The Crown Court deals with indictable criminal cases that have been transferred from the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearing of serious criminal cases (such as murder, rape and robbery), cases sent for sentencing, and appeals. Cases are heard by a judge and a jury. Decisions of the Crown Court may be appealed to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. The county court also deals with civil (non-criminal) matters.
Court of appeal; Criminal court hears appeal from the court & Civil division hears appeals from the high court, tribunals and certain cases from county courts.
High court- mainly hears general claims over £15,000 & personal injury claims over £50,000. Under the high court are specialist court with 3 divisions; the Queen’s Bench division which deals with contracts and tort etc. These courts are known as the Commercial court and Admiralty court.
The next court under the Queen’s Bench division is the Administrative court these are the supervisory & appellate jurisdiction overseeing the legality of decisions and actions of inferior courts, tribunals, and local authorities, ministers of the crown and other public bodies and officials.
Next, we have the Family division which mainly deals with divorce and separations within a family. The Divisional court appeals from the magistrates’ courts.
The final division under the High court division is the Chancery Division which mainly deals with equity and trusts, contentious probate, tax partnerships, bankruptcy & companies’ court, patents court. Under this division we have the divisional court which appeals from the county courts on bankruptcy & land.
Crown court trials indictable offences, appeals from magistrates’ courts, cases from sentence.
Magistrates courts trials of summary offences, committals to the crown court, family proceedings court and youth courts. Magistrates’ courts- hears all criminal cases. Serious criminal cases are transferred to the Crown Court after a preliminary hearing. Less serious cases criminal cases and those involving juveniles are tried in these courts. Some civil cases, including family proceedings, are also heard in these courts. Cases are presided over by one magistrate, who is legally qualified. Both civil and criminal decisions of the Magistrates’ Courts may be appealed to the County Courts.
Tribunal’s service- hears appeals from decisions on immigration, social security, child support, pensions, tax & lands. Under are all the courts under the tribunals court structure Her Majesty’s court service. The Tribunals service hears appeals from decisions on immigration, social security, child support, pensions, tax & lands.
County courts deals with the majority of civil litigation subject to the nature of the claim.

Hierarchy of the civil courts
Civil Court- is the court of law that deals with disputes between individuals or companies.
Court of appeal- the court of appeal is a court of law that hears appeals against both civil and criminal judgements from the Crown, High and County courts & consists of 2 divisions
Court of appeal Court consists of 3 divisions,
• The Chancery Division
• The Family Division
• The Queen’s Bench Division
Decisions of the High Court may be appealed to the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal.
County court- The Crown Court deals with indictable criminal cases that have been transferred from the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearing of serious criminal cases (such as murder, rape and robbery), cases sent for sentencing, and appeals. Cases are heard by a judge and a jury. Decisions of the Crown Court may be appealed to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. The county court also deals with civil (non-criminal) matters.
Crown courts- The Crown Court deals with indictable criminal cases that have been transferred from the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearing of serious criminal cases (such as murder, rape and robbery), cases sent for sentencing, and appeals. Cases are heard by a judge and a jury. Decisions of the Crown Court may be appealed to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. The county court also deals with civil (non-criminal) matters.
Civil Court- is the court of law that deals with disputes between individuals or companies.
Royal court of justice- Commonly known as the law courts
Parliament- is the highest legislature, consisting of the sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of commons.
Hierarchy of the criminal courts
Criminal court- is the court that has jurisdiction to try and punish offenders against criminal law.
Court of appeal- High court (including divisions) - The High Court consists of 3 divisions,
• The Chancery Division
• The Family Division
• The Queen’s Bench Division
Decisions of the High Court may be appealed to the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal.
Crown court-The Crown Court deals with indictable criminal cases that have been transferred from the Magistrates’ Courts, including hearing of serious criminal cases (such as murder, rape and robbery), cases sent for sentencing, and appeals. Cases are heard by a judge and a jury. Decisions of the Crown Court may be appealed to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal.
Magistrates’ court- The Magistrates’ Courts hears all criminal cases. Serious criminal cases are transferred to the Crown Court after a preliminary hearing. Less serious cases criminal cases and those involving juveniles are tried in these courts. Some civil cases, including family proceedings, are also heard in these courts. Cases are presided over by one magistrate, who is legally qualified. Both civil and criminal decisions of the Magistrates’ Courts may be appealed to the County Courts.
Civil Law
Civil law is the body of rules that delineate private right and remedies, also govern disputes between individuals & organisations in such areas as Contacts, Property, & Family laws. For example; Mr Fagan had a faulty boiler and sues the technician. Next, the case will he heard in either County court or High court depending on the case, it also be heard in the Tribunal. In this case Mr Fagan (is the claimant); the person suing someone else whilst. The technician (is the defendant); the person accused. Once they both present their cases then the court has to find out if the technician is liable or not but if he is, he’ll have to pay Mr Fagan and if not he’ll be freed without any charges. The purpose of Civil law is to help and resolve problems between individuals & organisations. Civil law allows resolution of disagreements, including family law and business law problems, as well as damages and debts.
Civil courts
The highest court in the European Union is The European Court of Justice. The court of justice interprets the EU Laws
Magistrate’s court hear minor offences, hears arguments, pre-trail hearing; bail, funding, issue warrants, detention, family court; divorce, youth court, issuing of licenses.
Crown court listens to appeals from the magistrates court, hears serious offences; rape, incense, hears some either way offences.
Criminal court of appeal hears appeals from the crown court.
House of Lords hears appeals from the court of appeal & paper appeals, they can also change the law.
Court of appeal; Criminal division appeals from the crown court & civil division appeals from the high courts, tribunals and certain cases from county courts.
County court dealing with small claims, deals with claims under £15,000, deals with personal injury claims under £50,000, civil jurisdiction over divorce, starts civil action.
High court hears general claims over £15,000, hears personal injury claims over £50,000, specialist court with 3 divisions; Queens Bench; contracts and tort etc. Administrative court supervisory & appellate jurisdiction overseeing the legality of decisions and actions of inferior courts, tribunals , local authorities , ministers of the crown and other public bodies and officials, Chancery divisions; equity and trusts, tax partnerships etc. Family divisions; Divisional court appeals from the magistrates’ courts, defamation and fraud.
Civil court of appeal hears appeals from the high court and county court