Which two types of courts in the UK are responsible for dealing with minor criminal cases?

The UK legal system has different courts for different levels of crime. When we're talking about minor criminal cases, like petty theft, traffic offenses, or minor assaults, these are typically handled at the local level. That's where the Justice of the Peace Court in Scotland and the Magistrates' Court in England and Wales come in. Magistrates' Courts are the workhorses of the criminal justice system, dealing with the vast majority of criminal cases. They can either resolve the case entirely or pass it up to a higher court, like the Crown Court, if the crime is more serious. In Scotland, the Justice of the Peace Court serves a similar function. Now, you might have heard of the Crown Court, but that's for more serious crimes like murder or rape. And Centre Court? That's where the Wimbledon tennis championships are held – nothing to do with law! So, for those everyday, less serious offenses, it's the Justice of the Peace Court and the Magistrates' Court that keep things running smoothly.