When a client brings you a dispute, one of your first practical jobs is to work out where the claim should go and how it will be run. The civil courts resolve disputes between private parties and deliver enforceable remedies — damages, injunctions, declarations — when settlement fails. Knowing the structure, the jurisdictional rules, and the track system lets you start a claim in the right place, anticipate cost and procedure, and advise on appeals realistically.
This lesson builds that picture step by step:
- Structure and the Overriding Objective — the shape of the civil hierarchy and the duty to deal with cases justly and at proportionate cost.
- The County Court and the High Court — which claims belong in each, and the three High Court divisions.
- Specialist and Exclusive Jurisdiction — claims that must go to the High Court, plus specialist courts and the Family Court.
- Track Allocation — how the court decides which track manages a case and what it weighs.
- The Tracks in Detail — the small claims, fast, intermediate, and multi-track limits, features, and costs.
- The Tribunal System — the two-tier structure and how employment claims and appeals work.
- Civil Appeals — appeal routes, permission tests, grounds, and when fresh evidence is allowed.