London Circuit Commercial Court
Business and Property Courts in London
The London Circuit Commercial Court is established within the Commercial Court and is one of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, a cross disciplinary group of specialist courts within the High Court of England and Wales.
Its judges consist of the Judge in Charge (His Honour Judge Pelling KC) and a small group of specialist deputy High Court Judges, all of whom are experienced commercial practitioners and most of whom are experienced KCs. The Judge in Charge and many of the Deputy Judges also sit frequently as Judges of the Commercial Court.
The work load of the court consists of claims that would be fit for commencement in the Commercial Court by reason of their subject matter but do not merit being issued in the Commercial Court by reason of their value or the factual technical or legal issues that arise. This is explained in more detail in Paragraph B1.1 and B.7 of the Circuit Commercial Court Guide and in the Judge in Charge’s Practice Note of 26 January 2024. The Administrative and Listing Offices for the Court is the same as that for the Commercial and Admiralty Courts.
Telephone: 020 7947 7156 / 7357
HHJ Pelling KC
His Honour Judge Pelling grew up and was educated in North East London. He read law at Kings College London and was called to the Bar in 1979.
He practiced from Monckton Chambers and then 3 Verulam Buildings, where he specialised in commercial and construction litigation both in the Courts in England and Wales and in arbitrations both here and abroad.
He was appointed a QC (now KC) and a Recorder in 2003, as a specialist Senior Circuit Judge in 2006 and to his present role as Judge in Charge of the London Circuit Commercial Court in 2019.
Opening times:
Counter open
10am to 4.30pm
Court open
9am to 4.30pm
Contact and other details
Address: The Administrative and Listing Offices for the Court is the same as that for the Commercial and Admiralty Courts – 7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1NL
Telephone: 020 7947 7156 / 7357
Email: comct.listing@justice.gov.uk
Document exchange: DX 160040 Strand 4.
Clerk to HHJ Pelling QC: Shirley Sweeney
Telephone: 0207 947 6402
Email: shirley.sweeney@ejudiciary.net
Contact given for urgent applications is 020 7947 7156 / 7357.
London Circuit Commercial Court Issue Team
The London Circuit Commercial Court Issue Team deal with issuing of proceedings and applications and filing of documents.
Queries about
- Issuing of Claims Forms, Witness Summons, Writs of Control/Possession and Request for Judgments;
- Types of Claim Forms and Fees;
- Filing of documents for court file; and
- Office Copies
are best directed to the Issue Team, rather than the Listing Office.
Please check the Fees Filing and Forms page before calling/emailing.
Email: comct.issue1@justice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0207 947 6112 or 0207 947 7783.
CE Filing technical support: efilesupport@justice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0208 176 1850 (if urgent).
Useful links and information
The Commercial Court and London Circuit Commercial Court, in conjunction with COMBAR and Advocate, operate a scheme to provide assistance and representation free of charge for litigants in person who are parties to applications with a time estimate of one day or less.
Full details of the scheme can be found on the judicial website and COMBAR website (external link).
Any request for assistance must be submitted to Advocate no later than 24 hours after service on the litigant of the court application for which assistance is sought. The Application Form by which assistance can be requested is available online (external link).