Find Case Law publishes judgments and decisions from courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Coverage varies by court — this page explains what’s included, what date ranges are available, and what’s not in the service.

What we receive

Courts and tribunals select judgments and decisions to send to The National Archives for permanent preservation and publication on Find Case Law.

We regularly receive and publish judgments from:

• United Kingdom Supreme Court
• Privy Council
• Court of Appeal (Civil Division and Criminal Division)
• High Court (across all divisions)
• Upper Tribunals
• Employment Appeal Tribunal

We also receive some decisions from first-tier tribunal chambers and some judgments from the Family Court, Court of Protection, County Court and Crown Court.

Date ranges

Coverage dates vary by court. Some have comprehensive recent records, while others include selected historical judgments.

• United Kingdom Supreme Court — 2009 to 2026
• Privy Council — 2009 to 2026
• Court of Appeal
  • Civil Division — 2001 to 2026
  • Criminal Division — 2003 to 2026
• High Court (England and Wales)
  • Administrative Court — 2003 to 2026
  • Admiralty Court — 2003 to 2026
  • Chancery Division — 2003 to 2026
  • Commercial Court — 2003 to 2026
  • Family Division — 2003 to 2026
  • Intellectual Property Enterprise Court — 2013 to 2026
  • King's / Queen's Bench Division — 2003 to 2026
  • Mercantile Court — 2008 to 2014
  • Patents Court — 2003 to 2026
  • Senior Courts Costs Office — 2003 to 2026
  • Technology and Construction Court — 2003 to 2026
• Other Courts
  • Crown Court — 2020 to 2026
  • County Court — 2019 to 2026
  • Family Court — 2014 to 2026
  • Court of Protection — 2009 to 2026

Each court and tribunal also has its own page on Find Case Law showing recent judgments, coverage details and a description of its role and jurisdiction. You can find these through the courts and tribunals directory.

Why coverage varies

The date ranges reflect when courts began creating digital records and how they decide what to publish. Not all courts started sending judgments at the same time, and publication practices differ between courts.

Judgments from 19 April 2022 onwards have been transferred to The National Archives directly by the courts and tribunals. Judgments from before this date have been sourced from a variety of different sources, including BAILII.

Coverage is expanding. We regularly add new tribunals and extend date ranges for existing courts. The National Archives, the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary share the ambition to grow Find Case Law into a comprehensive and authoritative repository for case law in England and Wales.

What’s not available

Find Case Law is not a complete record of all judgments and decisions. It contains only judgments and decisions that have been handed down and made public.

We do not routinely receive judgments from:

• Crown Courts
• County Courts
• Magistrates’ Courts

Some selected Crown Court and County Court judgments may be published at the discretion of the judiciary. The service does not contain judgments or decisions from Scottish, Northern Irish or Irish courts or tribunals.

Ex tempore (verbal) judgments that are not routinely transcribed may not be sent to The National Archives. For these, contact the court or tribunal directly.

Check for appeals

Some judgments on Find Case Law may have been appealed, and the appeal judgment may not be included in the service. You should check whether a judgment has been the subject of an appeal before relying on it as an authority.

Historical records

Older legal records that have been transferred to The National Archives on paper can be found in Discovery, The National Archives’ main catalogue. Research guides provide help with finding particular records.