# British legal system: U.S. equivalents

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 31, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216 "2005-05-31T14:26:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216/1 "2005-05-31T14:26:22Z")

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What are the British equivalents of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. office of Attorney General?

Is there one for each country in the U.K. (i.e. does the same highest-court have jurisdiction over England, Scotland, Wales, etc., or do Scotland and Wales have their own)?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216/2 "2005-05-31T14:34:33Z")

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The highest court in the UK is the House of Lords. However, when it sits as a court, the lay peers (the nobles who are not judges) do not attend its meetings.

The UK has an [Attorney General, presently Lord Goldsmith.](http://www.lslo.gov.uk/goldsmith.htm)

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216/3 "2005-05-31T15:06:51Z")

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The High Court in London presides over England and Wales. Scotland has a separate High Court, and a completely separate legal system. I’m not sure how it works for N Ireland. Few cases reach the Lords - mostly the High Court makes the final decision. A legal expert will be along soon to explain why…Tand there’s also the European Court of Human Rights.

Prosecutions are brought by the Crown Prosecution Service (at least they are in England and Wales).

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**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-legal-system-u-s-equivalents/306216/4 "2005-05-31T15:08:10Z")

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[The House of Lords’ webpage on the subject](http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199697/ldinfo/ld08judg/ld08judg.htm).

The position of Attorney-General for England and Wales is technically separate from that of Attorney-General for Northern Ireland, but by tradition they are held by the same person. The rough equivalent in Scotland is the [Lord Advocate](http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/membersPages/lord-adv.htm), who is always a different person.