Except for fraud and defamation cases, there is no right to trial by jury. An appeal from a decision of a judge goes to the Court of Appeal, with a panel of 2 or 3 more senior judges, known as Lords Justices. On issues of public importance, another, further, and final step of appellate process is available to the House of Lords, where five Law Lords hear the appeal. The legal profession is divided between solicitors and barristers. Most legal work is done by solicitors- e.g., investigating the matter, collecting documents, obtaining statements, consulting experts, advising on the law and tactics, selecting a barrister when necessary, and generally maintaining contact with the client.
Barristers are specialist-advocates.
Barristers have the exclusive right to appear in the higher courts on most substantive hearings. Barristers generally may not deal directly with clients. In terms of civil procedure, there is provision for summary and injunctive proceedings. If there is no summary judgment, the English civil process has some similarities to that provided by our Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Each party is to serve on the other party a list disclosing all relevant documents which are or have been in his or her possession or control.