In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where are all minor criminal cases handled?

The English legal system, and those of Wales and Northern Ireland, are structured in a hierarchy. Think of it like a pyramid, with the most serious cases at the top and the most common, less serious ones at the bottom. Magistrates' courts sit at the base of this pyramid. These courts deal with a huge volume of cases, mostly minor criminal offences like traffic violations, minor theft, or public disorder. They also handle preliminary hearings for more serious crimes before those cases are passed up to higher courts. The key thing to remember is that magistrates' courts are designed for efficiency and accessibility, allowing the legal system to process a large number of smaller cases quickly. The High Court deals with complex civil and criminal cases, far beyond minor offences. County courts handle civil matters, like debt or property disputes, not criminal cases. And Sheriff courts are part of the Scottish legal system, which is separate from the systems in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.