This document provides information about the civil court system in England and Wales. It begins by outlining the objectives of studying civil courts and describing the types of civil cases that can be brought. It then discusses Lord Woolf's review which aimed to modernize the civil justice system. The document explains the different tracks in the civil court system - small claims, fast track, and multi-track. It provides details about the various courts that make up the hierarchy of the civil justice system, including the County Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. It also outlines the appeal routes and discusses advantages and disadvantages of the civil courts.

1. CIVIL COURTS

2. STARTER
Each table will get a topic on solicitors
or barristers.
You need to create a mind map or fact
sheet on the topic.

3. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
To be able to explain the different court jurisdictions
and the track system
 To be able to Illustrate the appeal routes and give
examples for each civil court
Evaluate the civil courts issues regarding access to
justice and fairness.

4. CIVIL CASES
Civil claims arise when an individual or business believes
their rights have been infringed in some way.
Main areas of civil law include contract law, law of tort,
family law and employment law.
A case could involve claiming compensation for injuries (tort
law).
It could be a company claiming money is owed to them
(contract law).

5. ROLLS ROYCE
Rolls Royce was a term used by Lord Woolf to describe
the civil court process.
What did he mean ?
The Civil Courts had remained largely unchanged
for 100 years.
It was expensive, with only the wealthy being able
to afford to use it.
The process was slow.

6. WOOLF REVIEW
Lord Woolf’s 1996 Report on Access to Justice
Changed the Language
The Court allocation of the track system
The active encouragement of Alternative Dispute
Resolution

7. CIVIL PROCEDURE RULES –
OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE
The CPR requires that all cases are dealt with in a way that enables
the court to deal with cases justly.
This includes:
Ensuring parties are on an equal footing;
Dealing with the case in ways which are proportionate
Ensuring that the case is dealt with expeditiously and fairly.

8. N1 CLAIM FORM
When someone wants to start a court case they have to fill in a N1
claim form outlining the details of their claim.
Please fill in an N1 claim form with your own claim that you wish to
make and estimate how much the total of your claim will be.

9. TRACK SYSTEM OVERVIEW –
FILL IN THE PICTURE WITH
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT
EACH TRACK.Multi Track
Fast Track
Small Claims
High Court
County Court

10. SMALL CLAIMS
Under £10,000 and personal injury £1,000.
People are encouraged to represent
themselves in order to keep costs down.
Winner cannot recover the cost of their lawyer
from the losing party.

11. FAST TRACK
Claims with a financial value of no more than £25,000.
This track allows the court to set down a strict timetable
for pre-trial matters to stop time-wasting and running up
unnecessary costs.
Once a case is set down for hearing the aim is that it is
heard within 30 weeks.
The case will be heard by a Circuit Judge and take place in

12. MULTI TRACK
Any case not allocated to the other tracks is heard here.
These cases are heard in the County or the High Court.
They will be heard by a Circuit Judge who can set
timetables to speed up the case.
The Judge can ask the parties to try an alternative
method of dispute resolution to prevent wasting time and
money.

13. CIVIL COURT STRUCTURE

14. CIVIL COURT JURISDICTION
Jurisdiction –the official power to make legal decisions
and Judgements.
Area of law
Financial limits

15. CIVIL COURT HIERARCHY
ACTIVITY
You will be given a court to
research.
Use your hand out and the
text book to create a fact
sheet.
These fact sheets will be

16. SUPREME COURT
 Established on 1st October 2009
Hears appeals from the Court of Appeal
Points of Law
Public Importance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTHrynZIsBo

17. EUROPEAN COURT OF
JUSTICE
The Court of Justice of the European must ensure that in the
interpretation and application of the Treaties are correct.
It makes sure that EU legislation is interpreted and applied in the same
way in all EU countries, so that the law is equal for everyone.
It ensures, for example, that national courts do not give different rulings
on the same issue.
The Court has the power to settle legal disputes between EU Member
States, EU institutions, businesses and individuals.

18. APPEAL ROUTES
In your hand-out there is a blank diagram
which needs to be filled in.
Before writing the answers in the hand-out
use whiteboard pens on the tables to work the
answers out using the bullet points
Only consider the first diagram

19. APPEAL ROUTES
Hint:
Judges

20. APPEAL ROUTES
District Judge Circuit Judge Multi - Track
High Court
Judge
Circuit Judge
Court of
Appeal
Supreme
Court

21. Route 3
M – Mad
C – Cats
S – Sing
•The appeal routes
are hard to
remember!
•Try and make your
own to help you
remember the
different appeal
routes.
•Can also be a story,
rhyme or diagram.
•Going to ask each
person how they can
Route 1
D – Don’t
C – Carry
C – Cow
S – S**t
Route 2
C –
Chickens
H – Hate
C –
Christmas
S – Season

22. LEAPFROG APPEAL
Multi Track
Court of
Appeal
Supreme
CourtAdministratio
n of Justice
Act 1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf5-oBkqkbU

23. ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF CIVIL
COURTS
Homework create 3 advantages and
three disadvantages to bring to next
lesson.

24. EVALUATION OF THE CIVIL
COURTS AND TRACKS
On page 4 there are 6 issues which need to be
discussed
Each table will be assigned a different issue to talk
about
Then each group will feedback their idea to the rest
of the class

25. ADVANTAGES OF CIVIL
COURTS
1. A legally qualified Judge will decide the case.
2. There is an appeal system if a party is unhappy with
the decision of the trial Judge.
3. Legal Aid is available for those on a low income
(below £2,657 a month).

26. DISADVANTAGES OF CIVIL
COURTS
1. The courts are open to the public and press, which
could lead to adverse publicity.
2. There is a winner and a loser.
3. The court service chooses the trial date.
4. Cost and time.

27. COUNTY COURT
JURISDICTIONEntirely Civil Law.
Hear around 2 million cases a
year.
Hear all Tracks.
County Court Act 1984 – Tort,
Contract, Land, Family.
Created to deal with minor civil

28. HIGH COURT
Both Criminal and Civil Jurisdiction
Three Divisions:
Queens Bench Division
Chancery Division
Family Division
Multi Track

29. QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION
About 70 Judges sitting in the division with the Lord Chief
Justice at the head.
It deals with contract and tort cases of over £50,000
Claims over £15,000 can be heard here if the parties choose).
Usually cases are heard by a single Judge.
Cases are expensive to hear and can take a long time (on
average about three years).

30. CHANCERY DIVISION
There are about 17 High Court Judges in this
division.
They deal with matters such as insolvency, enforcing
mortgages, disputes relating to trust property,
copyright and patents, intellectual property matters
and probate.
Cases are heard by a single Judge, but high costs and
excessive delays are also a problem.

31. FAMILY DIVISION
Has 17 High Court Judges assigned to it.
Hears all cases relating to children, matters relating
to the family, such as declarations for the nullity of
marriage and also grants probate.
Cases are heard by a single Judge.

32. COURT OF APPEAL
Divided into two divisions
Legal Arguments and Documentary evidence
They mainly hear appeals from the following –
All three divisions of the High Court.
The County Court for Multi-Track cases.
Permission is needed for a case to be heard in this
court