Supreme Court

The supreme court is often the highest court of the hierarchy of justice in many countries and states. Generally speaking, decisions adjudicated and finalised by the supreme court are final and are not subject to further review by any other legal body. One of their primary roles is presiding over appeals made by courts beneath them in the hierarchy. The term ‘supreme court’ does not immediately denote the highest legal power. For example, the highest legal institution in Australia is the High Court. Additionally, in England and Wales, the Supreme Court of Judicature is subordinate to other courts. This can be confusing, as the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the court with the most authority in Britain. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom handles criminal and civil matters relevant to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and civil matters in Scotland. Criminal matters in Scotland are handled by the High Court of Justiciary. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom was first officiated in 2005 following the Constitutional Reform Act, with effect from October 2009. This, for all intents and purposes, replaced the Judicial Functions of the House of Lords. It can be found at the Middlesex Guildhall in London. It is the final court of appeal, so it plays an integral role in the maintenance and development of UK law. As it is primarily a court of appeal, it does not consider a case until a previous appeal is made in a lower hierarchy court. It is the final and highest court of appeal for all civil cases within the United Kingdom, and all criminal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.