The judicial system of Great Britain is a rather complicated and complex set of various judicial institutions, legal norms, customs and traditions. This confusion is largely due to the fact that in it, the norms of the early Middle Ages, the New Age and the newest period have been intricately intertwined.
In general, the UK is characterized by an extremely careful attitude to laws: here they can honor customs and traditions that span more than one decade or even a century. Until now, many local social institutions, including the judicial system of Great Britain, operate according to the laws and royal decrees adopted in ancient times.
The judicial branch of Great Britain has a rather complicated structure, in which two main levels are clearly visible: local, which closely interacts with local authorities, and central, whose jurisdiction extends to the entire territory of the state.
The laws of Great Britain distinguish the following types of local courts:
1. Magistrates Courts are the lowest level of judicial power in the UK. Most often, they consist of one judge and consider domestic disputes between spouses, petty crimes with minor penalties, as well as lawsuits with very small amounts. A feature of this court is that the judge is not required to have a legal education, since the main responsibility lies with his assistant clerks.
2. Courts of the Fourth Sessions, in terms of judicial law, constitute an appeals body to appeal decisions of lower courts at the county level. From the point of view of its composition, the courts of the quadruple sessions include all the justices of the peace in this county, however, in reality they rarely gather. In addition to considering appeals, this type of court can also act as a judicial body of first instance, if it is a matter of grave and especially grave criminal offenses.
3. County courts - these are judicial bodies consisting of one or two professional judges and operating in the territory allocated to them by the district. Laws in the United Kingdom limit their scope of activity: county courts may disassemble and adjudicate solely in civil matters.
As for the central courts, the judiciary of Great Britain at the highest level appears even more complex and confusing than at the local one. The central courts include the Supreme Court, the Central Criminal Court in London, the courts of retreats, numerous special courts and the House of Lords court.
The entire judicial system in Great Britain is under the control of the Supreme Court, which is the highest judicial authority in the kingdom. Structurally, it consists of the High Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal, the first of which also includes the Court of the Royal Bench and the Court of Probate, Divorce and Maritime Affairs.
The Central Criminal Court in London parses criminal cases of crimes committed either directly in the capital of Great Britain, or within the borders of London County. In addition, crimes committed outside the kingdom or on the high seas are dealt with here.
The judicial system in the UK implies the high responsibility that judges have in making decisions. Therefore, all judges, both in the central organs and in the localities, are appointed directly by the ruling monarch in agreement with the Lord Chancellor, who not only heads the House of Lords, but also concurrently is the head of all justice in the UK. It is also worth noting that the appointment of a judge in England is for life.
A number of criminal and civil cases in the UK are pending in a jury. This court consists of one (less often two) professional judge and twelve jurors. Here, after passing the entire trial, the jury renders a verdict on the basis of which the judge formulates the verdict. To issue a verdict, at least ten jury votes are required.