County Court - England and Wales, Australia

A court system of England and Wales, concerned with civil disputes, established in 1846. The County Courts deal with cases of contract and tort, landlord and tenant disputes, and matrimonial cases (including divorce) also come within its jurisdiction, as does the relatively informal small-claims procedure, where the sum in dispute generally does not exceed £1000. The County Court ranks lower in the hierarchy of courts than the High Court. The High Court and County Court Jurisdiction Order 1991 abolished many of the former financial limits on the jurisdiction of the County Court. Instead, there are new rules on the allocation of cases between the High Court and the County Court. Each court has a circuit judge and district judge. The nearest US equivalent is the municipal court, which in most jurisdictions may hear misdemeanours, small claims (cases between civilians representing themselves up to a set monetary limit) and civil cases with a set monetary limit.

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Law of England and Wales This article is part of the series: Courts of England and Wales

Administration Department for Constitutional Affairs Her Majesty's Courts Service

Civil courts Privy Council House of Lords Lords of Appeal in Ordinary Court of Appeal Master of the Rolls Lord Justice of Appeal High Court of Justice Chancellor of the High Court President of the Queen's Bench President of the Family Division High Court judge County Courts District Judge

Criminal courts House of Lords Lord of Appeal in Ordinary Court of Appeal Lord Chief Justice Lord Justice of Appeal High Court of Justice President of the Queen's Bench High Court judge Crown Court Circuit Judge Recorder Magistrates' Court District Judge Justice of the Peace

Criminal justice Attorney General Director of Public Prosecutions Crown Prosecution Service

Barristers and solicitors Bar Council Barrister Law Society of England and Wales Solicitor Solicitor Advocate

England and Wales

The County Court is the workhorse of the civil justice system in England and Wales. See Courts of England and Wales for a full list of the types of courts, and List of Courts in England and Wales for the locations of County Courts in England and Wales.

Australia

County Court is the name given to the intermediate court in some Australian States (see for example County Court of Victoria).