List of courts in England and Wales

The Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey

This is a list of courts in England and Wales. For information about the different types of court see Courts of England and Wales.

Civil courts

The highest appellate court is the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, followed by the Court of Appeal. The highest court in which originating process may be issued is the High Court of England and Wales. The High Court is based at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Rolls Building in London and in district registries elsewhere.

District registries of the High Court

England

Wales

County Court

When the county court system was created as a result of the County Courts Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. 95), there were 491 county courts in England and Wales. Since the Crime and Courts Act 2013 came into force, there has been one County Court in England and Wales, sitting simultaneously in many different locations.

Criminal courts

Crown Court

The Crown Court deals with serious criminal charges and with less serious charges where the accused has elected trial at the Crown Court instead of trial at a magistrates' court. The Crown Court also hears appeals against conviction and sentence from magistrates.^[1] There are 91 locations in England and Wales at which the Crown Court regularly sits.^[2] Crown Court centres are designated in one of three tiers: first-tier centres are visited by High Court judges for criminal and also for civil cases (in the District Registry of the High Court); second-tier centres are visited by High Court judges for criminal work only; and third-tier centres are not normally visited by High Court judges. High Court judges hear 2% of cases at the Crown Court, but 27% of the most serious (Class 1) cases. Circuit judges and recorders sit at all three tiers, hearing 88% and 10% of the cases respectively. When the Crown Court is conducting a trial, the judge sits with a jury of twelve; when hearing appeals from magistrates, the judge sits with two (or sometimes four) magistrates.^[1]

The Crown Court was established by the Courts Act 1971, which came into force on 1 January 1972, following the recommendations of a royal commission chaired by Lord Beeching. Previously, criminal cases that were not dealt with by magistrates were heard by assizes and quarter sessions, in a system that had changed little in the preceding centuries.^[3] The Crown Court system is administered by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. England is divided into six regions by HMCS (London, Midlands, North East, North West, South East and Western), with the whole of Wales forming a seventh region.^[4]

Section 78 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 provides that the Crown Court can conduct business at any location in England and Wales, in accordance with directions given by the Lord Chancellor.^[5] This power is sometimes used to enable court sittings to take place away from one of the regular Crown Court venues. For example, in 2007, a sitting of the Crown Court was held at one of the oldest court buildings in England or Wales, the former courthouse in Beaumaris, Anglesey, which was built in 1614 and closed in 1997.^[6]

Magistrates' courts

As of 2020: ^[7]

Aberystwyth Justice Centre
Aldershot Justice Centre
Barkingside Magistrates' Court
Barnsley Law Courts
Barnstaple Magistrates Court
Barrow-in-Furness Magistrates Court
Basildon Magistrates' Court
Basingstoke Law Courts
Bath Law Courts
Berwick upon Tweed Magistrates' Court
Beverley Magistrates' Court
Bexley Magistrates' Court
Birmingham Magistrates Court at the Victoria Law Courts
Blackburn Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court
Bodmin Law Courts
Bolton Combined Court
Boston Courthouse
Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court
Bridlington Magistrates' Court
Brighton Magistrates' Court
Bristol Magistrates' Court
Bromley Magistrates' Court
Burnley Magistrates' Court
Caernarfon Justice Centre
Cambridge Magistrates' Court
Cannock Magistrates' Court
Canterbury Magistrates' Court
Cardiff Magistrates' Court
Carlisle Magistrates' Court
Chelmsford Magistrates' Court
Cheltenham Magistrates' Court
Chester Magistrates' Court
Chesterfield Justice Centre
City of London Magistrates' Court
Colchester Magistrates' Court
Coventry Magistrates' Court
Crawley Magistrates' Court
Crewe Magistrates and County Court
Croydon Magistrates' Court
Cwmbran Magistrates' Court
Darlington Magistrates' Court
Derby Justice Centre
Doncaster Justice Centre North (Doncaster Magistrates' Court)
Dudley and Magistrates' Court
Ealing Magistrates' Court
East Berkshire (Slough) Magistrates' Court
Exeter Combined Court Centre
Folkestone Magistrates' Court
Gateshead Law Courts
Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court
Grimsby Magistrates' Court
Guildford Law Courts
Harrogate Justice Centre
Hastings Law Courts
Hatfield Magistrates' Court
Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court
Hendon Magistrates' Court
Hereford Justice Centre
High Wycombe Law Courts
Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court
Horsham Law Courts
Hull and Holderness Magistrates' Court
Huntingdon Law Courts
Ipswich Magistrates' Court
Isle of Wight Combined Court
Isles of Scilly Magistrates' Court
Kidderminster Magistrates' Court
King's Lynn Magistrates' Court
Kirklees (Huddersfield) Magistrates' Court
Lancaster Courthouse
Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court
Leeds Magistrates' Court
Leicester Magistrates' Court
Lincoln Magistrates' Court
Liverpool Magistrates' Court
Llandrindod Wells Magistrates' Court
Llandudno Magistrates' Court
Llanelli Law Courts
Loughborough Magistrates' Court
Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court
Maidstone Magistrates' Court
Manchester Magistrates' Court
Mansfield Magistrates' Court
Margate Magistrates' Court
Medway (Chatham) Magistrates' Court
Merthyr Tydfil Combined Court Centre
Mid and South East Northumberland Law Courts (Bedlington)
Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court
Mold Justice Centre (Mold Law Courts)
Newcastle upon Tyne Magistrates' Court
Newport (South Wales) Magistrates' Court
Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court
Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court
North Somerset Courthouse
North Staffordshire Justice Centre / Newcastle-Under-Lyme Magistrates Court
North Tyneside Magistrates' Court
Northampton Magistrates' Court
Norwich Magistrates' Court
Nottingham Magistrates' Court
Oxford and Southern Oxfordshire Magistrates' Court
Peterborough Magistrates' Court
Peterlee Magistrates' Court
Plymouth Magistrates' Court
Poole Magistrates' Court
Portsmouth Magistrates' Court
Preston Magistrates' Court
Reading Magistrates' Court and Family Court
Redditch Magistrates' Court
Reedley Magistrates' Court
Romford Magistrates' Court (formerly Havering Magistrates' Court)
Salisbury Law Courts
Scarborough Justice Centre
Sefton Magistrates' Court
Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court
Sheffield Magistrates' Court
Skipton Magistrates Court
South Tyneside Magistrates Court
South Worcestershire Magistrates' Court
Southend Court House
St Albans Magistrates' Court
Staines Law Courts
Stevenage Magistrates' Court
Stockport Magistrates Court
Stratford Magistrates Court
Sunderland Magistrates’ Court
Swansea Magistrates' Court
Swindon Magistrates' Court
Tameside Magistrates' Court
Taunton Magistrates' Court
Teesside Magistrates' Court
Telford Justice Centre
Thames Magistrates' Court
Truro Magistrates' Court
Uxbridge Magistrates' Court
Walsall Magistrates' Court
Warrington Crown and Magistrates' Court
Warwickshire (North) Justice Centre
Warwickshire (South) Justice Centre
Wellingborough Magistrates' Court
Welshpool Magistrates' Court
West Cumbria Courthouse
West Hampshire (Southampton) Magistrates' Court
Westminster Magistrates' Court
Weymouth Combined Court
Wigan and Leigh Courthouse
Willesden Magistrates' Court
Wimbledon Magistrates' Court
Wirral Magistrates' Court
Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court (at Old Town Hall, Wolverhampton)
Belmarsh Magistrates Court
Worcester Justice Centre
Worthing Law Courts
Wrexham Law Courts
Yeovil Law Courts
York Magistrates' Court

Former Magistrates' courts

Closed 2010-2020

These courts were shut in the period 2010-2020:^[7]

Aberdare Magistrates' Court
Abergavenny Magistrates' Court
Abertillery Magistrates Court
Accrington Magistrates' Court
Acton Magistrates' Court
Alnwick Magistrates Court
Alton Magistrates' Court
Amersham Magistrates Court
Ammanford Magistrates Court
Andover Magistrates Court
Ashford Magistrates Court
Aylesbury Magistrates' Court
Banbury Magistrates' Court
Barking & Dagenham Magistrates Court
Barry Magistrates Court
Batley & Dewsbury Magistrates Court
Bicester Magistrates' Court
Bingley (Keighley) Magistrates Court
Bishop Auckland Magistrates Court
Blandford Forum Magistrates Court
Blaydon Magistrates Court
Bournemouth Magistrates' Court
Bracknell Magistrates' Court
Brecon Law Courts
Brentford Magistrates Court
Bridgend Law Courts
Bridgwater Magistrates Court
Burton upon Trent Magistrates' Court
Bury Magistrates' Court
Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court
Buxton Magistrates' Court
Caerphilly Magistrates' Court
Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court
Camborne Magistrates Court
Cardigan Magistrates Court
Carmarthen Law Courts (The Guildhall)
Chepstow Magistrates Court
Chichester Magistrates' Court
Chippenham Magistrates' Court
Chorley Magistrates' Court
Cirencester Magistrates Court
Coalville Magistrates Court
Coleford Magistrates Court
Consett Magistrates' Court
Corby Magistrates' Court
Cromer Magistrates Court
Dartford Magistrates' Court
Daventry Magistrates Court
Denbigh Magistrates Court
Didcot Magistrates Court
Dolgellau Magistrates' Court
Dover Magistrates' Court
East Berkshire Magistrates' Court, Maidenhead
Eastbourne Magistrates' Court
Ely Magistrates Court
Epping Magistrates Court
Epsom Magistrates Court
Fareham Magistrates' Court
Feltham Magistrates' Court
Fleetwood Magistrates' Court
Flint Magistrates Court
Frome Magistrates Court
Gloucester Magistrates' Court
Goole Magistrates Court
Gosforth Magistrates Court
Grantham Magistrates' Court
Grays Magistrates Court
Greenwich Magistrates' Court
Guisborough (East Langbaurgh) Magistrates Court
Halesowen Magistrates Court
Halifax Magistrates' Court (Calderdale)
Hammersmith Magistrates' Court
Haringey Magistrates Court
Harlow Magistrates' Court
Harrow Magistrates Court
Hartlepool Magistrates' Court
Hemel Hempstead Magistrates Court
Hinckley Magistrates' Court
Holyhead Magistrates' Court
Honiton Magistrates Court
Houghton-Le-Spring Magistrates Court
Ilkeston Magistrates Court
Kendal Magistrates' Court
Kettering Magistrates' Court
Kingston-upon-Thames Magistrates Court
Knowsley Magistrates Court
Lewes Magistrates Court
Liskeard Magistrates Court
Llandovery Magistrates Court
Llangefni Magistrates Court
Llwynypia Magistrates Court
Lowestoft Magistrates' Court
Ludlow Magistrates Court
Lyndhurst Magistrates Court
Macclesfield Magistrates' Court
Market Drayton Magistrates Court
Market Harborough Magistrates Court
Melton Mowbray Magistrates Court
Mid-Sussex (Haywards Heath) Magistrates Court
Neath Magistrates' Court
Newark Magistrates Court
North Liverpool Community Justice Centre
Northallerton Magistrates' Court
Northwich Magistrates Court
Oldham Magistrates' Court
Ormskirk Magistrates' Court
Oswestry Magistrates Court
Penrith Magistrates Court
Penzance Magistrates Court
Pontefract Magistrates Court
Pontypridd Magistrates' Court
Prestatyn Magistrates' Court
Pwllheli Magistrates Court
Rawtenstall Magistrates Court
Redhill Magistrates' Court
Retford Magistrates Court
Richmond upon Thames Magistrates' Court
Rochdale Magistrates Court
Rotherham Magistrates' Court
Rugby Magistrates Court
Runcorn (Halton) Magistrates' Court
Rutland Magistrates' Court
Salford Magistrates Court
Sandwell Magistrates' Court
Scunthorpe Magistrates' Court
Stoke on Trent Magistrates Court
Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court
Sittingbourne Magistrates Court
Skegness Magistrates' Court
Solihull Magistrates' Court
Southport (North Sefton) Magistrates Court
Spalding Magistrates' Court
St Helens Magistrates' Court
Stafford Magistrates Court
Selby Magistrates Court
Stroud Magistrates' Court
Sudbury Magistrates Court
Sutton Coldfield Magistrates Court
Sutton Magistrates Court
Swaffham Magistrates Court
Tamworth Magistrates Court
Thetford Magistrates Court
Torquay Magistrates' Court
Totnes Magistrates Court
Tottenham Magistrates' Court
Towcester Magistrates Court
Tower Bridge Magistrates Court, now a hotel
Trafford Magistrates' Court
Tynedale (Hexham) Magistrates Court
Wakefield & Pontefract Magistrates' Court
Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court
Wantage Magistrates Court
Warrington Magistrates' Court
Watford Magistrates Court
West Berkshire Magistrates' Court (Newbury)
West Bromwich Magistrates Court
City of Westminster Magistrates' Court (former Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court)
Whitehaven Magistrates Court
Wimborne Magistrates Court
Wisbech Magistrates Court
Witney Magistrates Court
Woking Magistrates Court
Woolwich Magistrates Court
Worksop Magistrates' Court
Yate Magistrates' Court

Earlier Closures

Bakewell Magistrates Court
Kingsbridge Magistrates Court
Southwell Magistrates Court
Teignmouth Magistrates Court
Bow Street Magistrates' Court

References

^ ^a ^b "Judicial and Court Statistics 2007, Chapter 6" (PDF). Ministry of Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
^ "Justice". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 4 December 2007. col. 1179W–1181W.
^ Zander, Michael (2007). Cases and Materials on the English Legal System. Cambridge University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-521-67540-6.
^ "HMCS Framework Document" (PDF). HMCS. April 2008. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
^ Jackson, Richard Meredith; Spencer, J. R. (1989). Jackson's Machinery of Justice. Cambridge University Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-521-31767-2.
^ "Historic court reopens for a day". BBC News. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
^ ^a ^b Sturge, Georgina (13 May 2020). "Constituency data: Magistrates' court closures". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 8 February 2023.

External links

Find a court (largely England and Wales)

[Stats-1] "Judicial and Court Statistics 2007, Chapter 6" (PDF). Ministry of Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.

[2] "Justice". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 4 December 2007. col. 1179W–1181W.

[3] Zander, Michael (2007). Cases and Materials on the English Legal System. Cambridge University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-521-67540-6.

[4] "HMCS Framework Document" (PDF). HMCS. April 2008. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.

[5] Jackson, Richard Meredith; Spencer, J. R. (1989). Jackson's Machinery of Justice. Cambridge University Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-521-31767-2.

[6] "Historic court reopens for a day". BBC News. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2008.

[parliament-7] Sturge, Georgina (13 May 2020). "Constituency data: Magistrates' court closures". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 8 February 2023.

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