1. You are in Find Case Law
  2. Help and support
  3. Find Case Law Glossary

Find Case Law Glossary

Find Case Law aims to make court judgments accessible to everyone. However, legal language and court terminology can be unfamiliar, even to regular users. This glossary explains common terms you'll encounter when searching for and reading court judgments, helping you understand how our service works.

A B C D E F G H I
J
K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Glossary of terms

Judgment

The formal written decision and reasoning given by a court after hearing a case. It explains what the court decided and why. Judgments can be very long and detailed.

Judicial review

A legal process where the High Court reviews whether a decision made by a public body (like a government department, local council or tribunal) was lawful. Judicial review looks at how the decision was made, not whether it was right or wrong. It's used when someone believes a public body has acted unlawfully or unfairly.

Jurisdiction

The authority or power of a court to hear certain types of cases. Jurisdiction can refer to geographic area (for example, courts in England and Wales) or the type of cases a court can hear (for example, the Family Court handles family matters).