Guide to Foreign and International Legal Citations - New York ...

from decisions of the County Courts. The Magistrates’ Courts and County Courts exercise
limited civil jurisdiction.
Criminal jurisdiction is exercised in the first instance by Magistrate Courts, in summary
trials, and the Crown Courts, in jury trials. Appeal may be had to the High Court (Queen’s
Bench) or the Criminal Divisions of the Courts of Appeal.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council hears appeals from courts in United
Kingdom Overseas Territories, a few Commonwealth countries, and the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man. It also hears admiralty and ecclesiastical matters and professional disciplinary
proceedings.
In recent years, many governmental powers have devolved to the regions. National
legislation reestablished the Scottish Parliament, created the Northern Ireland Assembly, and
granted each body legislative competence over local affairs. Similarly, a National Assembly for
Wales has been created and vested with governmental powers. Certain powers, including
defense and foreign affairs, however, are reserved and continue to reside with the House of
Commons.
Internet Resources:
Parliament (United Kingdom)
http://www.parliament.uk
Northern Ireland Assembly
http://www.ni-assembly.gov.uk
Scottish Parliament
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk
National Assembly of Wales
http://www.wales.gov.uk
Government Information Service
http://www.open.gov.uk
Lord Chancellor's Department:
http://www.open.gov.uk/lcd
II. CITATION GUIDE
House of Lords judgments, from Nov. 1996
http://www.parliament.the-stationeryoffice.co.uk/pa/ld1/ldjudinf
Acts of UK Parliament
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts.htm
Statutory Instruments (regulations)
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm
Courts in England and Wales
http://www.courtservice.gov.uk
UK Official Publications
http://www.official-documents.co.uk
There is no uniform code of citation in the United Kingdom. The following represents a number
of widely accepted citation norms. However, common abbreviations (chapter, section, etc.) may
vary.
1.0 Constitution
The United Kingdom has no single written constitution. Instead, constitutional law is contained
in a series of documents and in common law. The most important of those documents are:
The Magna Carta of Edward 1 (1297), 25 Edw. 1.
The Petition of Right (1627), 3 Car. 1, c.1.
The Bill of Rights (1688 or 1689), 1 Will. & Mary, sess.2, c.2.
The Act of Settlement (1700 or 1701), 12 & 13 Will. 3, c. 2.
The European Communities Act 1972.
The Human Rights Act 1998.
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