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.
high-court-of-justice

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

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

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