Circuit Court the court in the Republic of Ireland above the District Court, which has both civil and criminal jurisdiction. The country is divided into seven circuits, in each of which there are several towns in which the court sits. In civil matters the judge hears cases without a jury and can award compensation of up to £30,000 and deal with issues relating to land where the rateable value of the land does not exceed £200. As a criminal court, it can deal with indictable offences referred to it by the District Court, when a judge sits with a jury. Certain serious criminal cases, of which the most common are mur- der and rape, may only be tried in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. The Circuit Court hears appeals in both criminal and civil cases from the District Court, which take the form of a rehearing of the case. Appeals from the decisions of a circuit judge in a civil case

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are to the High Court and from it to the Supreme Court. In a crimi- nal case, appeal is to the Court of Criminal Appeal and then the Supreme Court.

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