High Court of Justice

The High Court of Justice, formally His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, is based at the Royal Courts of Justice in London and is one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, alongside the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court. It hears at first instance all high-value and high-importance civil cases, and it exercises supervisory jurisdiction over subordinate courts and tribunals. The court was created in 1875 under the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873, which merged eight older English courts into a single system. It is organised in three divisions: the King's Bench Division, the Chancery Division (replaced by a Business and Property Division from October 2026) and the Family Division. Most cases are heard by a single judge, and appeals in civil matters normally go to the Court of Appeal and then, in cases of importance, to the Supreme Court. It has district registries across England and Wales.