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

• July 17, 2026

  R -v- X, Y and Z (follow on judgment)

• July 22, 2026

  Matthew Wright -v- Medway Magistrates’ Court

• July 21, 2026

  HXS -v- persons unknown and others

• July 20, 2026

  R -v- Emmanuel Avogo and Child B

Latest news

• July 17, 2026

  Response to recommendations for the judiciary in the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts

  Read the summary of the judicial response to Sir Brian Leveson’s recommendations regarding Criminal Courts

• July 22, 2026

  Court of Appeal, Criminal Division annual report 2024/25

  See the full annual report and read Lord Justice Edis’ overview of the court’s work between October 2024 and September 2025

• July 22, 2026

  New protocol for legal professionals wishing to raise concerns informally about coroner behaviour

  Read more about this informal route through which legal professionals may raise concerns about the behaviour of a coroner where early and constructive resolution is appropriate

• July 10, 2026

  Royal Courts of Justice event showcases the work of the Judicial College  

  Guests from across the justice sector gathered at the Royal Courts of Justice to learn how the Judicial College designs and delivers training for more than 24,000 judicial office holders

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