UK Court Hierarchy
The civil, criminal, and tribunal courts of England & Wales, with the binding-precedent relationship between each tier. For the underlying doctrine, see our guide to stare decisis.
Civil courts
Top to bottom — every court below is bound by every court above.
Supreme Court
Final UK court. Eleven Justices. Hears appeals from the Court of Appeal and (rarely) directly from the High Court (leapfrog). Replaced the House of Lords in 2009.
Precedent: Binds every court below; may depart from its own decisions under the 1966 Practice Statement.
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Hears appeals from the High Court and County Court. Sits in panels of three Lord/Lady Justices.
Precedent: Binds every court below. Bound by the Supreme Court. Bound by its own decisions subject to the three Young v Bristol Aeroplane exceptions.
High Court — King's Bench, Chancery, Family
First-instance court for substantial civil claims. Three divisions: King's Bench (contract, tort), Chancery (trusts, IP, company), Family. Also exercises supervisory jurisdiction (judicial review).
Precedent: Decisions of one judge bind the lower courts. Not strictly binding on other High Court judges, but ordinarily followed.
County Court
Most civil claims start here — small-claims (≤ £10,000), fast-track (≤ £25,000), multi-track. One judge, no precedent-setting role.
Precedent: Bound by every court above. Decisions are not precedent.
Criminal courts
The criminal hierarchy follows similar logic but with an extra appellate layer at the Divisional Court level.
Supreme Court
As above — final UK appeal court for criminal as well as civil matters.
Precedent: Binds every court below.
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Hears appeals against conviction or sentence from the Crown Court.
Precedent: Binds every court below. More flexible with its own decisions in criminal cases where liberty of the subject is at stake.
High Court (KBD — Divisional Court)
Hears appeals 'by way of case stated' from the Magistrates' Court on points of law, plus criminal judicial review.
Precedent: Binds the Magistrates' and Crown Court on the point decided.
Crown Court
Hears indictable trials, either-way trials elected for jury, and appeals from the Magistrates' Court. Judges sit with juries on trial; alone on sentencing.
Precedent: Bound by the courts above. Decisions not precedent.
Magistrates' Court
First-instance criminal court for summary offences and either-way trials not sent to the Crown Court. Lay magistrates or district judges. No jury.
Precedent: Bound by every court above. Decisions not precedent.
Tribunals
Statutory tribunals run alongside the main courts. The Upper Tribunal and First-tier Tribunal handle most administrative-law questions outside judicial review.
Upper Tribunal
Reviews decisions of the First-tier Tribunal across chambers (Tax, Immigration, Administrative Appeals, Lands).
Precedent: Binds the First-tier Tribunal on points of law. Decisions are appealable to the Court of Appeal with permission.
First-tier Tribunal
Statutory tribunals for tax, social security, immigration, employment-tribunal-equivalents (Employment Tribunal sits separately), regulatory, and others.
Precedent: Bound by the courts above. Decisions are not generally precedent for other Tribunals.
External / persuasive
Not part of the hierarchy proper, but UK courts engage with these regularly.
European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
Strasbourg. Final arbiter of the European Convention on Human Rights. UK courts must 'take into account' its decisions under s 2 Human Rights Act 1998.
Precedent: Not formally binding on UK courts but highly persuasive.
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Final court for several Commonwealth and overseas territories. Composed of UK Supreme Court Justices.
Precedent: Not formally binding on UK courts (decisions on overseas law) but highly persuasive on common-law principles.
Quick rules of thumb
- The Supreme Court binds everyone but itself (and even itself only loosely, post-1966 Practice Statement).
- The Court of Appeal binds itself, with three exceptions in Young v Bristol Aeroplane [1944].
- The High Court binds the courts below; not strictly bound by its own decisions.
- First-instance courts (Magistrates’, Crown, County) don’t set precedent.
- ECtHR judgments are persuasive, not binding (HRA 1998, s 2).