High Court of Justice

The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC for legal citation purposes.

Some of the key events about High Court of Justice

1649
Oversaw the trial and execution of King Charles I, a controversial act seen as regicide by many
1685
Presided over the Bloody Assizes, resulting in harsh punishments and executions for participants in the Monmouth Rebellion
1834
Ruled against the release of James Somerset, initially upholding the legality of slavery in England
1873
Established as a unified court system for England and Wales, combining several existing courts
1875
Began operating under the Judicature Acts, streamlining the administration of justice
1882
Introduced the system of binding precedent, enhancing legal consistency
1916
Upheld the conviction of Sir Roger Casement for treason, leading to his execution despite questions about the evidence
1920
Sentenced several Irish republicans to death during the Irish War of Independence, fueling tensions
1932
Established the Commercial Court, specializing in complex business disputes
1950
Ruled against decriminalizing homosexuality, maintaining discriminatory laws
1956
Created the Restrictive Practices Court to address anti-competitive business practices
1970
Formed the Family Division, focusing on family law matters
1971
Introduced the practice of issuing practice directions, improving court procedures
1976
Dismissed the case against suspected IRA bombers, later proven to be a miscarriage of justice
1981
Established the Admiralty Court, specializing in maritime and shipping law
1989
Upheld the ban on the book "Spycatcher," seen as an infringement on freedom of speech
1998
Implemented the Civil Procedure Rules, reforming civil litigation processes
2001
Ruled against terminally ill patients' right to assisted suicide, sparking ethical debates
2009
Created the Administrative Court, centralizing judicial review proceedings
2019
Approved the use of facial recognition technology by police, raising privacy concerns

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