In the United Kingdom courts system, cases and appeals are dealt with in specific courts according to the nature of the case.
Criminal cases: start in the Magistrates' court and more serious criminal matters are sent to the Crown Court. Appeals from the Crown Court will go to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division and potentially the UK Supreme Court.
Civil cases: start in the County Court and appeals will go to the High Court and then to the Court of Appeal Civil Division.
The Tribunals are specialist courts that hear a wide range of cases, such as tax, employment, and immigration and asylum. The tribunals system has its own structure for dealing with cases and appeals.
You can see a diagram for an overview of the structure of Courts and Tribunals System in the UK.
Judgments are accessible online from the following official sources.
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
This official website provides judgments from the Court of Appeal, County Court, and Magistrates' Court, etc. Cases can be searched by keyword, judgment type, and subject.
Administrative appeals tribunal decisions
Privy Council decided cases (Aug 2009 - present)
Supreme Court decided cases (2009 - present)
The following online archives provide access to old cases.
House of Lords Judgments (14 November 1996 - 30 July 2009) The House of Lords was UK's highest Court of Appeal until 30 July 2009. The Supreme Court of the UK assumed jurisdiction from 1 October 2009.
UK Parliament - Parliamentary Archives (prior to 1996)
Privy Council Papers (prior to 2009)
On the landing page, choose United Kingdom, then UK Cases.
On the landing page, select Advanced Search (the fault jurisdiction is the United Kingdom), then Case Law.
On the landing page, choose Cases, then United Kingdom Case Law.
Court judgments are available from the following open-access sources.
A list of selected law reports subscribed by the Library.
All England Law Reports (1936 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
All England Reporter (1997 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Appeal Cases (1891 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
British Company Cases (1990 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Business Law Reports (2007 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Butterworths Company Law Cases (1983 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Butterworths Human Rights Cases (1996 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Chancery Division (1891 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Construction Law Reports (1983 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Costs Law Reports (1910 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Criminal Appeal Case Summaries and Judgments
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Criminal Appeal Reports (1995 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
English Law Reports: Pre-1865
Electronic: HeinOnline
Access path: Databases → English Reports → English Law Reports: Pre-1865
English Reports
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
English Reports, Full Reprint (1220 - 1867)
Electronic: HeinOnline
Access path: Databases → English Reports → English Reports, Full Reprint (1220 - 1867)
Entertainment and Media Law Reports (1993 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Environmental Law Reports (1993 - 2024)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Family Division (1972 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Family Law Reports (1980 - present)
Electronic: Lexis+ Hong Kong
Access path: United Kingdom → UK Publications
Housing Law Reports (2002 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Human Rights Law Reports - UK Cases (2000 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Industrial Cases Reports (1972 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
King's Bench (1901 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Lloyd's Law Reports (1919 - present)
Electronic: i-law
Access path: Menu → Publication Type → Law Reports
Queen's Bench (1891 - 2023)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
Weekly Law Reports (1953 - present)
Electronic: Westlaw Asia
Access path: Cases → United Kingdom Case Law → Law Reports and Transcript
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