Courts, Tracks and Appeals (Civil)

Small Claim

• Claim less tha £5,000 (£1,000 for personal Injury)
• Heard in the County Court

Fast Track Claim

• Claims between £5,000 and £25,000
• Heard in the County Court

Multi Track Claim

• Claims for over £25,000 or for complex cases
• County Court/High Court

• Try nearly all civil cases
• Main areas:
  • Small claims
  • Fast track
  • Multi track
  • All contact and tort laws
  • All cases for the recovery of land
  • Disputes over partnerships, trust and inheritance up to £30,000
• Heard by Circuit Judge or a District Judge
• Personal Injury up to £50,000 will be heard in the County Court
• If claim is under £25,000 it will be heard in the County Court

their procedures are governed by the County Courts Act 1984

• Always a possibility to appeal
• Different appeal routes from county court and high court
• Value of the claim and judge who heard the cae affects which appeal route should be used

First Appeals

Circuit Judge > District Judge        District Judge > High Court Judge

Second Appeals

Always to the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Only allowed in exceptional cases (Access to Justice Act 1999)

For cases over £25,000 which have been dealth with as Multi track claims

Multi-Track > Court of Appeal (Civil Division) > Supreme Court (Second Appeal)

• From a decision in the High Court, appeal usually goes to the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) and then further appeals to the Supreme Court.
• Rare Cases:
  • May be a 'Leapfrog' straight to the Supreme Court (Administration of Justice Act 1969)
  • Such an appeal much include a point of law of general public importance, which is either concerned with:
    • Interpretation of a statute
    • where there is a binding precedent of the court of appeal or supreme court
    • previous decision of the HL which trial judges must follow
• Supreme court must give permision to appeal