Who are the Judiciary?

• Independence
• Impartiality
• Integrity

The judiciary is made up of judges, magistrates, tribunal members, and coroners.

Together, they uphold the rule of law.

Judges and other members of the judiciary oversee cases, in different types of courts and tribunals and in different areas of law across the country.

Find out more

Latest judgments

• March 9, 2026

  R -v- Mark Tew

• March 6, 2026

  R -v- Christopher Jackson

• March 6, 2026

  R -v- Sharaz Ali and Calum Sunderland

• March 6, 2026

  Charity Commission for England and Wales -v- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Latest news

• March 10, 2026

  AJC publishes final report on digitisation and the user experience in the tribunals system

  The Administrative Justice Council (AJC) has published 11 recommendations focused on improving access, usability, processes and effective use of technology

• March 10, 2026

  Administrative Court Practice Statement: Opposed applications for extensions of time

  Read the update from Mr Justice Chamberlain, Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court

• March 6, 2026

  Employment Tribunals (E&W) ‘How To’ videos

  Employment Tribunal Judges have written and produced a series of videos to help you if you are bringing a claim to an Employment Tribunal or defending a claim that has been made against you. Some videos explain different parts of the tribunal procedure and some videos tell you about what might happen at a hearing. […]

• February 26, 2026

  Judges bring together criminal justice partners to collaborate on criminal courts improvement

  Read the Lady Chief Justice’s speech to the Criminal Courts Improvement Group conference

Find out more

Business and Property Courts

Specialist courts which decide business, commercial, property and other chancery disputes and technology and construction disputes, both domestic and international.

Court of Appeal

The Court of Appeal deals exclusively with people challenging the decisions made by other courts or tribunals. It has two divisions, Criminal and Civil (the latter also hears family appeals).

High Court

The High Court hears the most serious administrative, civil and family cases. It has three divisions – King’s Bench, Family and Chancery.

Tribunals

The Tribunals are specialist judicial bodies whose judges and members hear a wide range of cases, such as tax, employment, and immigration and asylum. The Upper Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal hear appeals challenging some tribunal decisions.

See more courts and tribunals

Magistrates’ courts

Magistrates, or Justices of the Peace as they are also known, are trained, volunteer members of the local community who make decisions in criminal and family cases in Magistrates’ courts and the Family Court. The most complex cases in Magistrates’ courts are heard by District Judges who are legally qualified specialists.

Coroners’ courts

Coroners investigate certain deaths which are deemed to be unnatural, violent, or where the cause is unknown.

Popular links

Family Justice Council

Civil Justice Council

Appointments and retirements

Court of Appeal live hearings