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

• January 16, 2026

  Reform UK Party Limited -v- Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

• January 16, 2026

  R -v- Robert Rhodes

• January 16, 2026

  R -v- McKenzie Morgan

• January 16, 2026

  Ms B Hutchinson and others -v- County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Latest news

• January 16, 2026

  Senior President of Tribunals’ Annual Report 2025

  Lord Justice Dingemans presents his first annual report, which looks back over the past legal year and sets out his aims for the year ahead

• January 14, 2026

  President of the King’s Bench Division to retire from the judiciary

  Read more about Dame Victoria Sharp’s long and distinguished career, including her becoming the first woman to lead the High Court’s largest division

• January 12, 2026

  President of the Family Division’s Non-molestation Orders guidance comes into effect

  Sir Andrew McFarlane encourages JOHs and legal advisors to read the guidance and the FJC guidance for practitioners

• January 5, 2026

  Practice Guidance No 8 from the President of the First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber

  Please read this guidance from Judge Elizabeth McMahon about information without evidential value

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