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 13, 2026

  Rupert Lowe MP -v- The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme

• March 12, 2026

  R -v- Michael Webb

• March 12, 2026

  R -v- Zara Arsalan

• March 12, 2026

  H (Children: Expertise of Witness)

Latest news

• March 13, 2026

  Practice Note from the Chancellor of the High Court: Summary assessments

  Read the note from Sir Colin Birss, Mr Justice Constable and Mr Justice Henshaw which applies to work in the Rolls Building in London

• March 12, 2026

  Public Law Lecture by Lord Justice Singh

  Read the lecture, entitled Substantive Principles of Administrative Law: Developments since 1987, delivered at the London School of Economics

• March 11, 2026

  Pilot Practice Note (revised): Listing and transfer of cases from the Insolvency and Companies Court to the County Court at Central London

  The Pilot has now been extended for a six-month period and will now conclude on 30 September 2026 – find out more

• March 11, 2026

  Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Alliance for Lawyers at Risk event

  Read Sir Geoffrey Vos’ speech and reflections on the rule of law when he presented the Sir Henry Brooke Award for 2026

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