There are a number of different courts in the UK
- All criminal cases will start in the Magistrates’ court, but more serious criminal matters are sent to the Crown Court. Appeals from the Crown Court will go to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and potentially the UK Supreme Court.
- Civil cases will usually start in the County Court. Again, appeals will go to the High Court and then to the Court of Appeal – although to different divisions of those courts.
- The tribunals system has its own structure for dealing with cases and appeals, but decisions from different chambers of the Upper Tribunal, and the Employment Appeals Tribunal, may also go to the Court of Appeal.
- Donors, Attorneys and Deputies use The Court of Protection, this court was established under the terms of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which came into force on 1 October 2007. It is a specialist court which makes specific decisions or appoints other people known as deputies to make decisions on behalf of people who lack the capacity to do so for themselves. the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and the Court of Protection work together to protect people who lack capacity. The OPG is the administrative arm of the Court of Protection.
- The Family courts in England and Wales are the Family Court and the Family Division of the High Court. The Family Division of the High Court also hears appeals from certain decisions made by Circuit Judges and Recorders in the Family Court.
The courts structure covers England and Wales; the tribunals system covers England, Wales and, in some cases, Northern Ireland and Scotland.