Knowledge
Reference and support materials for case law research and legal education.
The courts and tribunals of England and Wales
There are different types of court to deal with different jurisdictions (areas of law), and within each category there may be different levels of court, with higher courts hearing more serious cases or appeals from courts lower down in the system. The main different types of jurisdiction in England and Wales are as follows: Criminal… Continue reading
The English legal system
The United Kingdom is divided into three main jurisdictions (or self-contained legal systems): England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. Each jurisdiction has its own laws, court system, lawyers and judges. However: Laws that apply in one jurisdiction, particularly if they are derived from legislation (Acts of Parliament and Statutory Instruments) may apply equally, or very… Continue reading
What do I call the judge?
What you call a judge depends on how senior they are. The following is a rough guide. Magistrates Call them ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ in court, or ‘Your Worship’ Address them in correspondence as ‘Mr/Mrs <Full Name> JP’ and begin the letter ‘Dear <Full Name> JP’ District judges Call them ‘Judge’ in court Address them in correspondence… Continue reading
ICLR&D – Legal research and development
ICLR&D is a legal information research and development lab based in London at the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales, publisher of the authorised law reports of judgments decided in England and Wales. The Lab is a dedicated environment for exploring and improving the entire primary law ecosystem, with a particular focus… Continue reading
The Busfield Prize
The ICLR Busfield Prize is an annual award in conjunction with City Law School. The prize is awarded to a BPTC student at the end of the academic year, who displays the best performance in the skill of Opinion Writing. It is a fitting memorial to Miss K. Busfield who bequeathed the funds in order to… Continue reading
Court dress in England and Wales
Judges and lawyers in England and Wales wear different types of formal costume in court, including wigs and gowns. Judges Judges have been wearing special forms of headgear and robes since the Middle Ages. In the 14th century judges wore the same habit as Serjeants-at-Law, an order of elite lawyers from whom common law judges… Continue reading
