11. Consolidation Flashcards
DEF: Superior Courts
Courts with unlimited jurisdiction geographically and financially, normally try the most difficult cases
DEF: Inferior Courts
Limited geographical and financial jurisdiction, and deal with less-important cases
List the Superior Courts
- Supreme Court
- Court of Appeal
- High Court
- Crown Court
List the Inferior Courts
- County Court
- Magistrates Courts
- Family Court
DEF: Trial Courts
Courts which hear cases at first instance (for the first time), a trial court will rule on issues of fact and law
DEF: Appellate Court
Will reconsider the application of legal principles to a case that has already been heard by a lower court.
- Allows errors of law (and occasionally fact and procedure) to be corrected
Appeal Courts: Criminal Division
- Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
- High Court (KBD)
Appeal Courts: Civil Division
- Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
- High Court (all 3 divisions)
- Family Court
Courts of First Instance: Criminal Division
- Crown Court or Magistrates Court
Courts of First Instance: Civil Division
- High Court
- Family Court
- County Court
Difference between County Court and High Court?
Both civil division court of first instance, but county court generally deals with lower value claims
Where would an appeal from the county court be heard?
The High Court
Where would an appeal of a High Court Decision (civil) be heard? Process?
(1) generally, would go to court of appeal (civil division),
(2) would need permission
(3) if case originally came from county court, a further appeal to CoA is only available in rare circumstances
DEF: ‘Leapfrog Appeal’
Appeal from High Court straight to Supreme Court
- Very rare
- only available on a point of law of general importance (ie. a statute)
- Must receive permission from the Supreme Court
Where would an appeal from Family Court be heard?
- from a judge within the family court at a higher level
- or, to CoA, same rules apply re permission
Who presides over the County Court
Circuit Judges and District Judges
Who presides over the High Court
High Court judge (usually sitting alone)
Who presides over the Court of Appeal?
Lord Justices of Appeal (usually 3 sitting at once)
Who presides over the Supreme Court?
Justices of the Supreme Court (usually 5 sitting at once)
Explain the civil jurisdiction of the County Court:
- Unlimited financial jurisdiction (claims usually lower though)
- Contract/tort, equity, disputes over wills, recovery of land disputes
Explain the civil jurisdiction of the High Court:
- Claims must generally be valued at 100 000+ (or 50 000 for personal injury)
QBD: - Contract / tort, specialised courts (eg. technology and construction)
Chancery: - Disputes over wills and administration of estates, Trusts, Land and Mortgage actions, Company Law, Bankruptcy, Family Division
Explain the civil jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal
Hears appeals in Civil cases from High Court, County Court and certain tribunals
Explain the civil jurisdiction of the Supreme Court:
Hears appeals from: Court of Appeal, High Court (leapfrog)
Explain the civil jurisdiction of the Family Court:
Nearly all family cases must be commenced here
DEF: Summary Only Offences
Minor offences, dealt with in Magistrates Court
- eg. driving without insurance or common assault
DEF: Indictable Only Offences
Most serious offences and can only be tried in Crown Court (infront of a Jury)
- eg. Murder or Robbery
DEF: Either way offences
May be dealt with in either court (Crown court or Magistrates court)
- tend to be those offences which are more or less serious depending on how they re committed (eg. theft)