Privy council and Judiciary

Privy Council (Judicial Committee of the Privy Council)

The final court of appeal for certain Commonwealth countries, Crown Dependencies, Overseas Territories, and some Caribbean nations.

Domestic appeals to the Privy Council

The Privy Council also hears certain domestic appeals, including those from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Church of England.

Privy Council decisions

Decisions of the Privy Council are not binding on English and Welsh courts.

Persuasive authority of Privy Council decisions

Although not binding, Privy Council decisions are often highly persuasive and usually followed by English courts.

Exception to the non-binding rule

The Privy Council may effectively create binding precedent when overturning a Supreme Court, House of Lords, or Court of Appeal authority.

Reason for the exception

The President of the Privy Council is also the President of the Supreme Court and the committee is largely composed of Supreme Court Justices.

Judiciary

The collective body of judges within the court system.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the UK and the final court of appeal for most civil and criminal matters.

Supreme Court judges

Known as Justices of the Supreme Court.

Head of the Supreme Court

The President of the Supreme Court.

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Hears civil appeals from lower courts.

Judges of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal.

Head of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

The Master of the Rolls.

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Hears criminal appeals from the Crown Court.

Judges of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal.

Head of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

The Lord or Lady Chief Justice.

Lord/Lady Chief Justice

Head of the judiciary of England and Wales.

High Court

Deals with complex and significant civil cases and some appeals.

High Court judges

Senior judges assigned to one of the High Court divisions.

King's Bench Division (KBD)

A division of the High Court headed by the President of the King's Bench Division.

Chancery Division

A division of the High Court headed by the Chancellor.

Family Division

A division of the High Court headed by the President of the Family Division.

Heads of Division

Senior judges who are also members of the Court of Appeal.

Masters

A type of High Court judge who deals with many first-instance procedural and case-management matters.

Crown Court judges

High Court judges, Circuit Judges, and Recorders.

Circuit Judges

Full-time judges appointed to one of the seven regions of England and Wales.

Recorders

Part-time judges who commonly sit in the Crown Court and County Court.

County Court judges

Circuit Judges, Recorders, and District Judges.

District Judges

The lowest-ranking full-time judges in the County Court.

Magistrates' Court

The lowest criminal court in England and Wales.

Magistrates

Lay judges who are generally not legally qualified and hear most criminal cases.

District Judges (Magistrates' Courts)

Legally qualified judges who sit alone in the Magistrates' Court.

Judicial hierarchy (senior to junior)

Supreme Court → Court of Appeal → High Court → Crown Court/County Court → Magistrates' Court.

Exam tip – Head of the judiciary

The Lord/Lady Chief Justice is the head of the judiciary, not the President of the Supreme Court.

Exam tip – Master of the Rolls

Always associated with the Court of Appeal (Civil Division).

Exam tip – Recorders

Remember they are part-time judges who can sit in both the Crown Court and County Court.