Legal
There are two styles of address for individuals in the legal profession: judicial/formal and social. In most circumstances the social form of address is used - a polite but slightly less deferential style of approach than the very rigid form that was followed in the last century. By convention it is never considered to wrong to address a judge of any seniority (from district judge up to Justice of the Supreme Court) when not in court as ‘Judge’.
There are three legal systems in the UK; English law, Scottish law and Northern Irish law.
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the highest court in the land for all criminal and civil cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for civil cases in Scotland.
The English and Welsh court system is headed by the Senior Courts of England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (civil) and Crown court (criminal). Northern Irish courts follow the same pattern. In Scotland the chief court for civil cases is the Court of Session, while the High Court of Justiciary has responsibility for criminal cases.
