There are more ways to access case law than listed below. The listed sources are the one that the Bluebook prefers (see Table 2, pp472-88) and which are available in the library, via electronic subscription resources for students and faculty, or for free online. The years below indicate the coverage of the source material available.
The official Law Reports are the preferred reporters for all jurisdictions. The full title of the Law Reports depends on the court cases you are looking for. Law Reports Appeals Cases contain decisions from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the Supreme Court, and the House of Lords (cases before 2005). Current Law Reports also include Queen’s Bench Division, Chancery, and Family. Because these are the preferred reporters, search here first before moving on. (date of coverage depends on the series title; see Bluebook Table 2, pp482-483)
Court System
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) was designated as such by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. It evolved from the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords in an effort to create a judiciary independent from Parliament. The UKSC began operating in 2009 and hears appeals in all civil cases and in criminal cases from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Court has appellate jurisdiction and can receive referred questions on issues relating to devolution. (For more information, see Constitutional Reform Act 2005, http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/4/contents; Erin F. Delany, Judiciary Rising: Constitutional Change in the United Kingdom, 108 Nw. L. Rev. 543, 569-572 (2014); A Guide to Bringing a Case to The Supreme Court, The Supreme Court.
Print Resources
Online Resources
Case Law
Official Government Website (Aug. 2009-present): Decided Cases, The Supreme Court (last visited Nov. 8, 2015).
You can also find decisions from the House of Lords here.
Court System
These courts are generally divided by civil and criminal cases. Each court is further defined by the types of cases it has jurisdiction over (minor or major claims or crimes). The highest appellate court, underneath the Supreme Court, is the Court of Appeal, which has a civil and a criminal division. Beneath that is the High Court, which is split into three divisions: Chancery, Queen’s Bench, and Family. Only the Queen’s Bench division hears criminal cases in the High Court. These divisions are mainly courts of first instance but have appellate jurisdiction in certain cases. More minor courts for civil claims are the County Courts, Crown Courts, and Magistrate Courts; for criminal law, they are the Magistrate Courts and the Crown Courts. The Crown Courts may have initial jurisdiction or appellate review over the Magistrate Court. There is also a local system, independently funded and resourced, called the Coroners Courts; these Coroners are not technically considered members of the judiciary.
Print Resources
Online Resources
Case Law
Prior to 1865
After 1865
Court System
The Scottish courts are similarly divided by civil and criminal cases. The majority of cases in Scotland are heard in the Sheriff Courts that have civil and criminal divisions, although there is a lower level criminal court, Justice of the Peace Courts. The highest civil court is the Court of Session, which is divided into the Inner House (appeals) and the Outer House (first instance). Appeals from the Court of Session are made to the Supreme Court. The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme court of criminal law in Scotland. It is primarily appellate but may hear serious cases in the first instance. There is no appeal to the Supreme Court.
Print Resources
Online Resources
Case Law
Court of Session
High Court of Justiciary
Court System
The courts in Northern Ireland are organized very similarly to those in England and Wales. The UK Supreme Court has the same appellate jurisdiction, unlike in Scotland. The Court of Appeal has jurisdiction over all appeals in criminal and civil cases. In civil matters, the High Court hears complex cases in the first instance and takes appeals from the County Court. In criminal matters, depending on the seriousness of the criminal case, it will be heard by either the Crown Court (more serious) or the Magistrates Court (less serious). There is also a system of Coroners Courts that “investigate unexplained deaths.
Online Resources
Case Law
Official Government Website (1999-present): Published By Year, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service.
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