High Court of Justice
- Not to be confused with High Court of Australia, Australia's supreme court.
The High Court of Justice (formally "His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England", commonly cited as "EWHC") is part of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and the first-instance court for civil cases in England and Wales. Its Chancery Division hears patent cases.
Powers
Patent cases go to the specialist Patents Court of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice.
Appeals
Appeals to the court's decisions lie to the Court of Appeal (England and Wales). In some cases a "leapfrog" appeal may be made directly to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Intellectual Property Enterprise Court
The Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC; previously the Patents County Court or PCC) is a specialist subdivision of the Business and Property Courts within the High Court. Typically, simpler patent cases are heard by the IPEC, while more important cases are initiated at the main High Court. Cases can be transferred from the IPEC list to be heard by the main High Court and vice versa.