The UK does not have a single unified legal system— seperate sytems exist for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Her Majesty's Courts of Justice of England and Wales are the civil and criminal courts responsible for the administration of justice in England and Wales.
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.
- Tribunals: specialist panels dealing with day-to-day disputes such as asylum/immigration claims, unfair dismissal, social security appeals, and tax.
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.
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