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

• November 5, 2025

  PJS -v- East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

• November 5, 2025

  National Association of Head Teachers and another -v- Ofsted and another

• November 5, 2025

  CMF -v- The Secretary of State for the Home Department (anonymity order)

• November 5, 2025

  Social Work England -v- BPQ

Latest news

• November 6, 2025

  Applications for Extension of Time: Practice Statement for First Tier Tribunal Tax Chamber

  Read the guidance to help tribunal users in relation to applications for the extension of time

• November 6, 2025

  Revised Lord Chancellor’s Directions affecting the magistracy

  Find out more about the wide range of reforms to improve recruitment, governance, and operational efficiency across the magistracy

• November 4, 2025

  New Chancellor of the High Court, Lord Justice Birss, sworn in

  The Lady Chief Justice has officially welcomed the Chancellor as he takes up his new appointment

• October 29, 2025

  President of the Family Division at the Justice Committee: Reform of the Family Court

  Watch Sir Andrew McFarlane and other witnesses speaking at the Parliamentary session

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