The Administrative Court

The work of the Administrative Court is varied, consisting of the administrative law jurisdiction of England and Wales as well as a supervisory jurisdiction over inferior courts and tribunals.
The supervisory jurisdiction, exercised in the main through the procedure of Judicial Review, covers persons or bodies exercising a public law function - a wide and still growing field. Examples of the types of decision which may fall within the range of Judicial Review include:

• Decisions of local authorities in the exercise of their duties to provide various welfare benefits and special education for children in need of such education;
• Certain decisions of the immigration authorities and Immigration Appellate Authority;
• Decisions of regulatory bodies;
• Decisions relating to prisoner's rights.

Appendix A sets out a brief description of the types of cases dealt with and how the work is divided between single judge courts and Divisional Courts (which consist of at least two judges and normally consist of a Lord Justice of Appeal sitting with a judge of the High Court).

From 21 April 2009 it will also be possible to issue most Administrative Court proceedings at the District Registry of the High Court at Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds or Manchester.

The four centres will be located at:

• Cardiff Civil Justice Centre
  2 Park Street, Cardiff, CF10 1ET
• Birmingham Civil Justice Centre
  Priory Courts, 5th Floor, 33 Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6DS
• Leeds Combined Court
  1 Oxford Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 3BG
• Manchester Civil Justice Centre
  12th Floor, 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester M3 3FX

Guidance on the administrative arrangements has been provided:

Administrative Court Guidance - regional venues

Practice Direction 54D - Administrative Court (venue)

Form N461 - Judicial review claim form

Form N462 - Judicial Review - acknowledgement of service

Form N463 - Judicial review application for urgent consideration

Form N464 - Application for directions as to venue for administration and determination

Form N465 - Response to application for directions as to venue for administration and determination

4 April 2008
Important statement regarding the Administrative Court list