English law and the legal system of England and Wales is the basis of many ‘common law’ legal systems throughout the world.
English law falls into two categories:
- Criminal law – offences relating to persons or property that affect the whole community. A criminal case is called a prosecution
- Civil law – wrongs relating to conflicts between individuals within the community. A civil case is called an action or a claim.
Comprehensive information on Crime Justice and the Law including:
- Courts, sentencing and tribunals including jury service
- Prisons, probation and support for families of prisoners
- Reporting crimes and getting compensation
- Young people and the law, including legal rights, youth offending teams and crime prevention
- Your rights and the law, including being arrested, cautions, discrimination, legal advice and consumer rights
can be found at the GOV.UK website.