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The judiciary is responsible for interpreting and applying the law. Judges ensure justice is done fairly, independently, and according to legal principles. They play different roles depending on the level of court and type of case, but all share three key duties: upholding the rule of law, ensuring fair trials, and giving reasoned judgments.
Role of Judges in Civil Courts
County Court Judges
They hear civil cases such as contract disputes, negligence claims, and family matters. Their main duties are to:
Manage pre-trial directions and case progress.
Hear evidence and legal arguments.
Decide liability and damages (no jury is used).
Encourage settlement and proportionality through case management powers under the Civil Procedure Rules.
High Court Judges
They handle complex or high-value civil cases. Each division has specific responsibilities:
King’s Bench Division: contract, tort, and judicial review.
Chancery Division: property, company law, and trusts.
Family Division: serious family matters, including wardship and adoption.
High Court judges also hear appeals from the County Court and judicial reviews of public bodies.
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Lord Justices of Appeal review decisions from the High Court and County Court. They focus on points of law, not re-hearing the full case. Their judgments shape precedent for lower courts.
Supreme Court Justices
They hear cases of public importance, clarifying or developing major legal principles. Their decisions bind every other court in the UK.
Role of Judges in Criminal Courts
Magistrates and District Judges
Magistrates (lay judges) sit in the Magistrates’ Court, deciding guilt and sentence for summary offences. They are advised on law by a legal clerk.
District Judges (Magistrates’ Court) are legally qualified and handle more complex cases or trials alone.
Circuit Judges and Recorders
Sit in the Crown Court. They try cases involving serious offences, directing the jury on law and sentencing convicted defendants. Recorders are part-time judges, often practising barristers or solicitors.
High Court Judges (King’s Bench Division)
High Court Judges may sit in the Crown Court to hear the most serious criminal cases (such as murder), but the Crown Court itself is the main trial court for indictable offences.
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Lord Justices of Appeal hear appeals from the Crown Court. They can uphold, quash, or vary convictions or sentences and clarify criminal law principles.
Supreme Court Justices
Only the most significant criminal appeals reach the Supreme Court, typically those involving points of constitutional or general public importance (e.g. R v Jogee on joint enterprise).
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