The Court System
There are three main types of courts in England and Wales which cover between them all legal disputes:
- Criminal courts - dealing with all cases where a crime has been committed and there is considered sufficient evidence for there to be a reasonable chance of a conviction
- Civil courts - dealing with disputes between private individuals and/or organisations
- Family courts - dealing with disputes relating to family matters.
More information about the courts system can be found at this link.
The Open Justice website, maintained by The Open University Law School , provides key information to help you understand the different aspects of criminal justice, including sentencing and sentences, restorative justice, prison and probation.