The Royal Courts of Justice is actually a specific building, as opposed to actual courts. The Royal Courts of Justice is the building in which the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and the High Court of Justice of England and Wales are both housed. The Royal Courts of Justice thus refers both to the building, and the courts within. The Royal Courts of Justice is also sometimes referred to as the Law Courts.
The Royal Courts of Justice is not connected to the Central Criminal Court for England, which is known as the Old Bailey and is located elsewhere in London. The Royal Courts of Justice building is located within the Strand in England. The Royal Courts of Justice was originally opened up in 1882, and has been in operation ever since, though the Royal Courts of Justice has been expanded to include more space for its additional functions.
The two courts housed in the Royal Courts of Justice are some of the most important Courts in the whole of the United Kingdom Judicial system. The Court of Appeal of England and Wales, for example, is considered to be second only to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for the English judiciary. The High Court of Justice makes up the second of the three Senior Courts of England and Wales, along with the Court of Appeal as the first, and the Crown Court as the third. Thus, two of the three Senior Courts of England and Wales are located within the Royal Courts of Justice building.
