B1.16.1 Civil Courts continued (3)
County Court
There are 216 county courts dealing with the majority of civil cases, as well as some family and bankruptcy hearings. A large number of cases come before the county courts and it is here that all but the most complicated civil law proceedings are handled. Civil cases include:
- Claims for debt.
- Personal injury.
- Breach of contract concerning goods or property.
- Family issues such as divorce or adoption.
- The repossession of houses.
Each court has Bailiffs who enforce court orders and seek to collect money if a judgment has not been paid.
Most County Court cases are between people or companies who believe that someone owes them money. Claims for small amounts are generally straightforward and there is usually no need for those involved to use solicitors.
Tribunals
The Tribunals Service was created on 3 April 2006 as an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The Tribunals Service provides administrative support for the tribunals’ judiciary who hear cases and decide appeals.
The Senior President of Tribunals is the judicial head of the Tribunals´ judiciary. All judges are independent of Government.
The administration and the judiciary work in partnership with one another to ensure that the public at large have an opportunity to exercise their rights and to seek effective redress against Government decisions. They also help to settle disputes between employers and employees.