
The Chancery Division is one of the three divisions of the High Court of Justice in England and Wales, the others being the King's Bench Division and the Family Division. The Chancery Division is the successor to the Court of Chancery, which was dissolved in 1873 and 1875 through the Supreme Court of Judicature Act and Judicature Acts, respectively. The Court of Chancery was a court of equity that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of common law. The Chancery Division has specialist judges with expertise in chancery matters, and its jurisdiction includes a wide range of cases related to trusts, probate, company law, intellectual property, and more. The distinction between Chancery and commercial law lies in their focus; Chancery addresses equitable matters, while commercial law pertains to the legal aspects of business transactions and commerce.
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What You'll Learn

The Court of Chancery was a court of equity
The Court of Chancery was originally a largely administrative body headed by the Lord Chancellor, which became a largely judicial body in the 14th century. The chancellor and his clerks often heard the cases directly, rather than having them referred to the council itself. The court was an extension of the Lord Chancellor's role as Keeper of the King's Conscience. The Court of Chancery had a far greater remit than the common-law courts and was far more flexible.
The Chancery Division is the successor to the Court of Chancery. It is one of three divisions of the High Court of Justice, alongside the King's Bench Division and the Family Division. The Chancery Division continues to play a vital role in administering justice in matters where equitable principles are crucial for a fair resolution. It has jurisdiction over a wide range of cases related to trusts, probate, company law, intellectual property, and more.
The distinction between Chancery and commercial law lies in their focus. Chancery addresses equitable matters, while commercial law pertains to the legal aspects of business transactions and commerce. Commercial Chancery deals with disputes in areas such as company law, intellectual property, insolvency, and commercial contracts. It emphasises equitable principles in these disputes.
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Chancery law deals with business and property disputes
The Chancery Division is one of the three divisions of the High Court of Justice in England and Wales, alongside the King's Bench Division and the Family Division. The Chancery Division is the successor to the Court of Chancery, which was dissolved in 1873 and 1875 through the Supreme Court of Judicature Act and Judicature Acts, respectively.
Commercial Chancery focuses on cases with a commercial or business-related context, such as disputes in company law, intellectual property, insolvency, and commercial contracts. It deals with shareholder disputes, breaches of commercial contracts, and issues arising from corporate insolvency, emphasising equitable principles. The Chancery Division's jurisdiction also includes tax appeals and cases heard in specialist courts, such as the Patents Court and the Companies Court.
Traditional Chancery, on the other hand, primarily deals with matters rooted in the historic equity jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery. This includes cases related to trusts, wills, probate, and family provisions, such as disputes over the administration of trusts and contested wills.
The Chancery Division's flexibility allows it to address the evolving needs of litigants in both traditional equity matters and those with a more commercial focus, ensuring that the court has the necessary expertise to handle a diverse range of cases within its broader jurisdiction.
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Chancery and commercial law differ in focus
Commercial Chancery, on the other hand, focuses on cases with a more commercial or business-related context. It deals with disputes in areas such as company law, intellectual property, insolvency, and commercial contracts. Commercial Chancery cases may include shareholder disputes, breaches of commercial contracts, and issues arising from corporate insolvency. These cases apply equitable principles to resolve disputes with a commercial dimension, with an emphasis on achieving fair outcomes in the context of business relationships and transactions.
The distinction between Commercial Chancery and regular commercial work lies in the nature of the cases and legal issues addressed, as well as the expertise demanded. Both involve aspects of commercial law, but differ in their focus. Regular commercial work involves a broader spectrum of commercial law without a specific emphasis on equity, covering cases like contract disputes and the sale of goods.
The Chancery Division has some overlap with the work undertaken in the civil lists of the King's Bench Division, and since 2017, this work has been grouped under the umbrella heading of the Business and Property Courts (B&PCs). The B&PCs are the largest specialist centre for financial, business, and property litigation in the world.
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The Chancery Division has specialist judges
Traditional Chancery deals with matters that are more rooted in the historic equity jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery. This includes cases related to trusts, wills, probate, and family provisions. These cases may involve disputes over the administration of trusts, contested wills, and issues related to the equitable distribution of assets in family matters. Commercial Chancery, on the other hand, focuses on cases with a more commercial or business-related context. It deals with disputes in areas such as company law, intellectual property, insolvency, and commercial contracts. Commercial Chancery cases may include shareholder disputes, breaches of commercial contracts, and issues arising from corporate insolvency.
The Chancery Division continues to play a vital role in administering justice in matters where equitable principles are crucial for a fair resolution. The flexibility of the Chancery Division allows it to address the evolving needs of litigants in both traditional equity matters and those with a more commercial or business-oriented focus. In practice, the Chancery Division of the High Court is not rigidly divided into separate ‘traditional’ and ‘commercial’ Chancery courts. Instead, cases are assigned to judges within this division based on their expertise and the nature of the dispute.
The Chancery Division is one of three divisions of the High Court of Justice, the others being the King’s Bench Division and the Family Division. The Chancery Division is the successor to the Court of Chancery, which was dissolved and its jurisdiction transferred to the Chancery Division as a result of the Judicature Acts of 1873 and 1875. The Court of Chancery was originally a largely administrative body headed by the Lord Chancellor, which became a largely judicial body in the 14th century and developed the doctrine of equity.
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The Chancery Division is one of three divisions of the High Court of Justice
The Chancery Division has specialist judges with expertise in chancery matters, and its jurisdiction includes a wide range of cases related to trusts, probate, company law, intellectual property, and more. The Chancery Division continues to play a vital role in administering justice in matters where equitable principles are crucial for a fair resolution. The terms ‘traditional’ and ‘commercial’ Chancery refer to different aspects of the Chancery Division and the types of cases they handle. While both fall under the broader umbrella of Chancery law, they represent different focuses within this field.
Traditional Chancery primarily deals with matters that are more rooted in the historic equity jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery. This includes cases related to trusts, wills, probate, and family provisions. These cases may involve disputes over the administration of trusts, contested wills, and issues related to the equitable distribution of assets in family matters. Commercial Chancery, on the other hand, focuses on cases with a more commercial or business-related context. It deals with disputes in areas such as company law, intellectual property, insolvency, and commercial contracts. Commercial Chancery cases may include shareholder disputes, breaches of commercial contracts, and issues arising from corporate insolvency.
The Chancery Division has some overlap with the work undertaken in the civil lists of the King’s Bench Division. Since 2017, this work has been grouped under the umbrella heading of the Business and Property Courts (B&PCs). The B&PCs are based in the Rolls Building in London, which is now the largest specialist centre for financial, business, and property litigation in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
Chancery law is concerned with equitable matters, while commercial law deals with the legal aspects of business transactions and commerce.
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity that was dissolved in 1873 and succeeded by the Chancery Division, which is one of the three divisions of the High Court of Justice.
The Chancery Division has jurisdiction over cases involving trusts, probate, land law, company law, intellectual property, and other equitable matters. The Law Division, also known as the King's Bench Division, deals with a wide range of common law cases and has special responsibility as a supervisory court.
The Chancery Division primarily deals with points of law and evidence by affidavit, while the King's Bench Division commonly deals with conflicting evidence of fact given in person.








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