 Within the United Kingdom , the Judicial Committee hears appeals from ecclesiastical courts , the Court of Admiralty of the Cinque Ports , prize courts and the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons , appeals against schemes of the Church Commissioners and appeals under certain Acts of Parliament ( e.g. , the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 ) . The Crown @-@ in @-@ Council was formerly the Supreme Appeal Court for the entire British Empire , but a number of Commonwealth countries have now abolished the right to such appeals . The Judicial Committee continues to hear appeals from several Commonwealth countries , from British Overseas Territories , Sovereign Base Areas and Crown dependencies . The Judicial Committee had direct jurisdiction in cases relating to the Scotland Act 1998 , the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the Northern Ireland Act 1998 , but this was transferred to the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009 . 
