May try criminal cases where they sit alone and decide facts and sentence.
May hear family cases but will sit with two Magistrates.
Must be a qualified solicitor/barrister for 5 years and Legal Executives can apply for this role.
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Recorders
Part time judges who sit mainly in the Crown Court.
They can sit in the County Court and hear civil cases.
They are appointed for a 5 year period.
Only work 1 month per year and they work as solicitors or barristers for the rest of the year.
Must have 7 years as a qualified solicitor/barrister.
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Circuit Judges
Sit in the Crown Court and the County Court and so the majority of the work in these courts.
In civil cases they sit alone and decide the facts and law and decide who won.
In criminal cases they sit with a jury. The judge decides the law and sentences if found guilty.
They must have been a qualified solicitor/barrister for 7 years
Recorders and District Judges can apply for this role.
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High Court Judges
Each judge in the High Court will be appointed to one of the three divisions.
The main role is to try cases. The judge will hear evidence, decide on what the law is and make a decision on who has won. They may also decide on the amount of damages.
They must have been a solicitor/barrister for 7 years.
A circuit judge is appointed to this level after 2 years.
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Lord Justices of Appeal
Hear appeals in the criminal and civil divisions of the Court of Appeal.
In criminal cases they hear over 7,000 applications for appeals and these are dealt with by one judge however only a quarter will actually be appealed.
Court of Appeal judges sit as a panel of 3.
Hear 3,000 civil appeals each year.
You have to have been a High Court Judge or 7 years as a barrister/solicitor.
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Justices of the Supreme Court
Sit in the Supreme Court and hear appeals on important points of law.
A case can only be appealed here if there is a point of law involved e.g. civil cases involving complex areas such as tax law.
Any decision made here becomes a precedent for all other courts to follow.
They must have been an advocate in higher courts for al least 15 years.
Hold 'high judicial office' in UK for 2 years (worked as a judge in a higher court).
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