上述两者均是英国England和Wales地区审理刑事案件的法院。一般说来，凡是案情较轻微，属于summary offenses的犯罪仅可在magistrate's court ( “治安法院”）中审理[1]。而案情严重，须经indictment予以起诉之案件则只能在Crown court ( “刑事法院”）中审理[2] (因Crown Court也作初审法院审理案件, 故笔者认为有人将其译为“刑事上诉法院”的翻译不甚妥当）。此外大量的案件，如theft及多数burglaries等犯罪，则属于“triable either way”，即“两种法院均可审理”之案件。此时， 被告既可选择接受Crown Court中由一名法官和陪审团进行的审判，其也选择在magistrate's court审理。但治安法官则可作出“此案因过于严重而应移送到Crown Court予以审理之裁定”（the magistrate may decided that the case is so serious that it should be committed to the Crown Court for trial)。
[1]“The magistrate's court bears cases of petty crime. ”Cf. P, H. Collin, Dictionary of Law, 2nd edition，at p. 333, Peter Collin Publishing Ltd. (1993).
[2] "A Crown Court is formed of a circuit judge and jury, and bears major criminal cases. ” Id. at p. 147. “An English court having jurisdiction over major criminal cases. ” Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 384, West Group (1999).