high court

• based in London, judges in towns and cities throughout England and wales
• jurisdiction to hear any civil case
• hear more expensive multi track cases
• can be allocated to one of three divisions (specialist courts)

  family division

  chancery division

  queens bench division
• family division

  headed by president of family division

  private - sensitive cases

  hears cases involving welfare of children under Children Act 1989

  hears matrimonial cases such as defended divorce cases and probate cases

  new family court created by Crime and Courts Act 2013 with both powers of the High Court and County Court
• chancery division

  hears cases involving company law, tax, insolvency, intellectual property and trusts
• queen's bench division

  court is headed by Lord Chief Justice

  hears cases involving contract and tort

  jury of 12 people may be used in cases of malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and defamation cases

  judicial review heard in this court