UK Court Record Search
Court records in the United Kingdom are publicly available online. Are you trying to trace an old family member and believe they were charged in court? Or maybe you know people that are currently being prosecuted and you want to follow the proceedings. Thanks to the Internet and search platforms, you can make a UK court record search online.
Below we provide the tools you need to find British court records easily.
You can do this from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. It is ideal that you will have the relevant people’s names to begin with, otherwise finding the correct record may be difficult.
What are Court Records?
First of all, it is necessary to understand what exactly is meant by the term ‘court records’. The Criminal Procedure Rules creates a duty for the court officer to make records of a case when it is happening. In other words, the details of the case will be recorded for people to access later on.
For instance, each case will be recorded to show the charge against the defendant, the conviction and sentence, as well as the reasons for the court’s decision and other communications during the trial. This recording is often as a transcript.
In addition, the court record should detail who the defendant is in the trial, plus their legal representatives, prosecutor, and other legal professionals. Some records will also include more details about the parties involved, including their addresses, date of birth, and the dates of the events. All of these details may help you with your search.
How to Make a Court Record Search
There are a number of reasons why you may want to conduct a UK court record search. For example, perhaps you are trying to find more about a person that you have just met. This could be a job interview or in other similar circumstances where you are working closely with someone.
Alternatively, court records can be a good way to trace some of your ancestors, whether they were a defendant or a witness. You can find out additional information from UK court records and not just about a crime. For example, it might be possible to find out their occupation and other interesting family details.
Try the below resources to see if you can find the court records you’re looking for.
Court Records – Free Resources
| Resource | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Find Case Law – UK National Archives | Government | This is the official court search for England and Wales, covering most courts and cases dating from the early 2000’s. |
| Crown Court Daily Courtroom Lists | Company | Courtserve provides free access, but requires account creation to view the courtroom lists. Lists are available for Crown courts in locations such as Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Liverpool, Manchester, Southhampton, Swansea and Warwick |
| Magistrates’ Court Lists | Company | Courtserve also provides lists for magistrates courts in locations such as Brighton, Burnley, Cardiff, City of London, Hastings, Leeds, Manchester, Northampton, Sheffield, Thames and York. |
| Scottish Court Judgement Search | Government | Search for court judgements in Scotland from courts and chambers such as Sheriff Court Criminal, National Personal Injury Court, Court of Session, Sheriff Appeal Court Civil and High Court of Justiciary. |
| Northern Ireland Judgement Search | Government | Search for court judgements in Northern Ireland from the official site. Find Judgments, Care Tribunal, Charity Tribunal, Office of Social Security and Lands Tribunal decisions. |
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Court Records
UK court records are court documents and records of court cases. They are maintained by the relevant UK court judicial system and older court records are archived and accessible though the UK National Archives.
UK court records might contain the type of court case, court case numbers, the parties involved in the court case, decision of the court and sentencings.
There are some online resources that will allow you to search for some limited information for free. For access to more premium and detailed court records, you may need to pay a little bit.
Older UK court records are fairly simple to lookup with an online public record website. You can typically search old UK court records with just a first and last name.
This is the British and Irish Legal Information Institute which offers a platform for people to search British and Irish legal materials.
Yes, they offer access to court records in the UK once they are unsealed. They are the official archive that also offers access to a multitude of various public records.
Yes, many of the online public record resources, including the National Archives, allow yout search court records by name. You will probably want to know a bit more about the person you’re researching, as many people in the UK have the same first and last name.
There are many reasons you may not be able to locate a court record. Perhaps the court case was sealed or it could be because of a privacy law. You may also want to check multiple sources as some public record resources are better than others.
Yes, some criminal court records are public domain which means anyone can access those public records. However, some criminal court cases are not public record or are sealed for privacy reasons.
Yes, you can make an appeal to the relevant court as long as it’s your record you intend to correct. The final decision is up to the court if they will make the correction for you.
Yes, historical records are easy to search through the UK National Archives as well as other public record websites.
It really depends on the resource. If you request them directly from the government or National Archives then they will be very accurate.
There are a few options to find court records on a UK person. You can access historical records through the UK National Archives or you can try looking up court records with a public record website. There may be restrictions and limitations depending on what information is available, for privacy reasons.
Yes, if they meet certain conditions or privacy reasons they can be sealed from the courts.
Yes, if the court case records meet the requirements for public records then they might be accessible. Some restrictions or limitations may apply for privacy reasons.
If the relevant court decides to expunge a court case record then it is possible.
What Information Do I Need to Know Before My Search?
It is going to be necessary to have some basic information in order to carry out a UK court record search. This is going to allow you to find exactly what you are looking for. It is important to remember that court records are those documents that reference an event that has taken place through the years in the UK. There are several different courts in the United Kingdom that deal with various types of crimes. For example, there are going to be civil court cases that deal with individuals and criminal cases that involve the Crown Prosecution Service.
The good news is that carrying out a UK court record search is now easier than it was before. It can all be done online. There are databases that can help you but you must be prepared to pay a small fee in most cases. In order to get started, the basic information you should have includes the first and last name of the person you are searching for. In addition, it is recommended that you know the county that is relevant to the court. For instance, it will be useful to know whether the court record you are looking for was in Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, or West Yorkshire. Along with the first and last name, this is going to provide you with a quick and easy search for the information you need.
Are there Different Ways to Complete a UK Court Record Search?
One of the best ways to search for court records is online starting with the UK National Archives. There are different databases that are going to allow you to access the information you are seeking. For instance, there are Old Baily trial records that you can view online from 1674 to 1913. There is also the Criminal Registers for England and Wales for records between 1791 and 1892.
It is also possible to contact the court directly in order to access the records. This is often a route someone will go down if they were involved in the court case in some way. Courts can be different in their procedure and may use a company to transcribe hearings. There is a form you can download and submit to the appropriate court. There will be a payment you will have to make for this request and in order to access the transcript. The court will have to approve your request. It is difficult to say how long this will take and you may have to be patient. In addition, some courts will only keep a record of hearings for up to five years. This is something to bear in mind if you are trying to find older information.
Magistrates Court Records
Some UK countries, such as England and Wales, have Magistrates’ Court which hears 3 different types of court cases. These can include minor court cases, criminal offenses and some civil court cases. This is regarded as a lower court which primarily handles less severe criminal offenses such as minor assault and monitoring offenses.
Through the judicial system in the UK you can view detailed information about this courts function such as sentencings, judicial review, appeals as well as family court and civil court cases. That said, most all court cases start in a Magistrates’ court and a few are passed to the Crown Court if the criminal offenses are more serious.
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