... in cases with similar facts. A Simple Diagram OF The Court Structure: Civil Courts Criminal Courts House of Lords House of Lords House Of Appeal Court of Appeal High Court Crown Court County Court Magistrates Court Do the courts have to follow their own previous decisions (a decision that is at the same level)? To answer this we need to look at the individual courts. House of Lords: until 1966, the House of Lords was bound by it's own decisions. However, in 1966, it issued a statement saying, " We are no longer bound by our own previous decisions. We will depart from them when it is right to do so". It doesn't change them very often, as it is important the law remains consistent or certain. The House of Lords changed it's own previous decision in the case of R v R (1991) when it changed the law on marital rape. The Court of Appeal: as a general rule the court of appeal will follow ...

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