Walk inside a British courtroom in England or Wales and you enter a room arranged by centuries of common law practice: a raised bench for the judge at the front, a well below for clerks and solicitors, rows of seating for barristers, a witness box to one side, a jury box opposite in Crown Court trials, a glass-panelled or railed dock for the defendant, and a public gallery at the back or on a balcony where anyone can sit and watch. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate legal systems with their own courtrooms and rules, so what follows applies only to England and Wales.
Which Court You’re In
The room you walk into depends on the case. Around 95 per cent of criminal cases are resolved in a Magistrates’ Court, where either a bench of two or three lay magistrates or a single legally qualified District Judge decides matters without a jury.1Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. About Magistrates Courts Serious offences such as murder, rape, and robbery are heard in the Crown Court, where a judge sits with a jury of 12.2GOV.UK. Jury Service Civil disputes usually begin in the County Court, with higher-value or more complex matters going to the High Court.3Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Structure of the Courts and Tribunals System The physical furniture is broadly similar across all of them; the formality, the dress, and whether a jury is present are what change.
The Layout of the Room
Nothing in the arrangement is decorative. The judge’s bench sits on an elevated platform at the front, giving a clear sightline across the whole room. Directly below is the well of the court, where clerks and solicitors manage paperwork, exhibits, and the administrative side of the case as it moves forward.
Facing the bench are the rows known collectively as the bar, reserved for barristers presenting oral arguments. The witness box stands to one side, where witnesses give evidence under oath or affirmation. Opposite the witness box in a Crown Court is the jury box, with seating for the 12 jurors.2GOV.UK. Jury Service In criminal trials, the defendant sits in the dock, usually a glass-enclosed or railed area toward the back or side of the room, positioned so judge, jury, and counsel can all see them while security is maintained. The public gallery sits at the rear or on an elevated balcony, giving observers a full view of proceedings from outside the working area of the court.
Access to older court buildings can be awkward. The Royal Courts of Justice dates to the 1880s and has entrance steps and lighting conditions that are difficult for people with mobility or visual impairments. HM Courts and Tribunals Service has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, which can include ramps, hearing enhancement equipment, British Sign Language interpreters, and large-print or audio documents.4GOV.UK. Equality and Diversity – HM Courts and Tribunals Service If you need any of these, contact the court as soon as you receive your hearing notice; adjustments must be requested for each new case, even if you’ve used the same court before.
Who’s in the Room and What They Do
The judge is the legal authority. They rule on points of law, decide what evidence the jury may hear, and direct jurors on how to apply the relevant legal principles. In the Crown Court, judge and jury work as a partnership: the judge handles the law, the jury decides the facts. In the Magistrates’ Court there is no jury at all.
The court clerk sits near the judge and runs the administrative machinery of the trial: reading the charges, managing exhibits, keeping the official record. The usher coordinates physical movement through the room, escorting witnesses to the stand and jurors to their deliberation room.
Barristers and Solicitors
England and Wales have a split legal profession, which surprises visitors from countries where a single “lawyer” does everything. Solicitors are usually your first point of contact. They advise on the case, prepare evidence, handle documentation, and manage the matter overall. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy: presenting arguments, examining witnesses, and making submissions to the judge. In most cases the solicitor instructs a barrister when the matter goes to court, although some solicitor-advocates have rights of audience in the higher courts. Around 80 per cent of practising barristers are self-employed, working from shared offices called chambers. Senior barristers appointed as King’s Counsel are distinguished by silk robes.
In a criminal trial, the prosecution presents the case against the defendant, and defence counsel argues for acquittal or a reduced sentence. The defendant stays in the courtroom throughout to hear the evidence and consult with their legal team. Journalists and members of the public sit in the gallery; their presence is part of the principle of open justice.
Wigs, Robes, and Why They Vary
The horsehair wigs and black gowns began as fashionable attire for polite society and hardened into tradition over the centuries.5Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Examples of Modern Court Dress Today, judges and barristers wear the full outfit — black gown, wig, and white collars known as bands — during criminal proceedings in the Crown Court.
A reform in October 2008 stripped wigs from civil and family proceedings. Court of Appeal and High Court judges sitting in civil or family cases now wear a plain civil robe without a wig, wing collar, or bands, and Circuit judges follow the same approach.6Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Modern Court Dress Magistrates wear ordinary professional clothing with no robes or wigs, and tribunal judges wear suits.5Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Examples of Modern Court Dress So the full traditional regalia you’ve seen on television is now largely confined to criminal trials in the Crown Court.
How to Address the Judge and Behave in Court
Everyone stands when the judge enters or leaves. Legal professionals bow toward the bench when entering or exiting while the court is in session. No eating, no drinking, no hats. Phones must be silenced or switched off.
The right form of address depends on the court. Circuit judges are “Your Honour.” High Court judges are “My Lord” or “My Lady.” Some Circuit judges at major courts such as the Old Bailey are also addressed as “My Lord” or “My Lady.” In the Magistrates’ Court, you say “Your Worship” or simply “Sir” or “Madam.”7Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. What Do I Call a Judge Getting it wrong won’t land you in trouble, but it will mark you out immediately.
What You Can and Can’t Do as an Observer
Most hearings are open to the public, and you can walk into the gallery to watch. The openness ends, though, at the camera lens and the record button. Two separate statutes do the work. The Criminal Justice Act 1925 makes it an offence to take photographs or sketch portraits of judges, jurors, witnesses, or parties anywhere in the court building or its immediate surroundings, including while people are entering or leaving.8Legislation.gov.uk. Criminal Justice Act 1925 – Section 41 The Contempt of Court Act 1981 separately prohibits using any audio recording device in court without permission.9Legislation.gov.uk. Contempt of Court Act 1981 – Section 9 Photography, filming, and unauthorised sound recording are all criminal offences.
Reporting restrictions can further limit what journalists publish. Under Section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, a judge can postpone publication of a report if there is a substantial risk the reporting would prejudice the administration of justice.10Legislation.gov.uk. Contempt of Court Act 1981 – Section 4 In cases involving children, a direction under Section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 can prohibit publication of any details likely to identify the child, including name, address, school, or photograph.11Legislation.gov.uk. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 – Section 39
Social Media During a Live Trial
Posting about a live trial carries the same legal risks as publishing in a newspaper. You can be found in contempt of court if your post comments on facts or evidence being heard at trial, mentions the defendant’s previous convictions, names a victim of a sexual offence, identifies anyone under 18 involved in the case, or shares images or recordings from the courtroom. Penalties include a fine or up to two years in prison, and a careless post can cause a trial to be delayed or abandoned entirely.12GOV.UK. Contempt of Court and Social Media The instinct to post an opinion or share a detail feels harmless; judges treat it as a serious interference with justice.
Getting Into the Building
Every court building screens visitors on entry. Expect airport-style security: bag checks and, often, a walk-through metal detector. Weapons of any kind are banned, and attempting to bring one in will be reported to the police.13GOV.UK. Going Through Security at a Court or Tribunal Building
The banned list goes well beyond obvious weapons. It covers blades such as scissors and penknives, glass bottles, metal cutlery, tools like screwdrivers, full-length umbrellas, crash helmets, alcohol, and e-bikes or e-scooters. Syringes are permitted only with a prescription. Drinks must be in sealed cartons or bottles with lids, and staff may ask you to take a sip to prove the contents are harmless. You can bring your phone and camera into the building, but using them to take photos or video inside is prohibited. If you are visiting a custody suite rather than a courtroom, the rules tighten: phones, smartwatches, tablets, and memory devices must be handed in. A laptop may be allowed for accessing case files, but only with the court’s approval.13GOV.UK. Going Through Security at a Court or Tribunal Building
If You’re Giving Evidence or Joining Remotely
Witnesses who are vulnerable because of age, disability, fear, or the nature of the offence can be granted “special measures” that change how they give evidence without weakening the evidence itself. A live link lets the witness testify from a private room in the court building or from a separate location such as a police station, with the courtroom seeing the witness on screen while the witness sees only the questioner. Screens, physical or electronic, can be set up so the defendant cannot see the witness. Video-recorded evidence allows a statement recorded with the police before trial to be played in court, with the witness answering follow-up questions and facing cross-examination afterward. In Crown Court cases, cross-examination itself can be pre-recorded at a separate hearing, with the judge, lawyers, and defendant present but no jury. Applications are usually made by the prosecution or the witness’s legal representative, and the judge decides whether to grant them.14The Crown Prosecution Service. Victims Guide – Support to Give Your Evidence Special Measures
Not every hearing happens in a physical courtroom any more. HMCTS runs the Cloud Video Platform (CVP) for video hearings and is rolling out a newer Video Hearings Service with virtual consultation rooms and simultaneous interpretation. To join a CVP hearing you need a laptop or desktop with camera and microphone, running the latest version of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. You must complete a test call before the hearing, enter your full name and role on joining, and mute your microphone when not speaking. The chat function is only for reporting technical problems, and recording the hearing is prohibited exactly as it would be in a physical courtroom.15GOV.UK. How to Join Cloud Video Platform CVP for a Video Hearing Remote hearings suit procedural and administrative matters; for contested hearings with live evidence, vulnerable parties, or complex factual disputes, courts generally prefer in-person attendance, and the court will tell you in advance which applies to you.