Ministry Courtrooms

• Type: Official Tribunal, Courtroom
• Location: Level Ten, Ministry of Magic, London, England
• Owner/Residents: The Ministry of Magic; primarily used by the Wizengamot. During the Second Wizarding War, they were commandeered by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission.
• Key Features: Subterranean location, dark stone walls, tiered benches for the Wizengamot, and a single chair for the accused equipped with magical chains.

The Ministry Courtrooms are located on Level Ten, the lowest level of the Ministry of Magic. They are described as having a grim, dungeon-like atmosphere, with dark stone walls and minimal lighting from torches. The layout consists of rows of tiered benches arranged in a semi-circle for the members of the Wizengamot to sit, looking down upon the accused. In the center of the room stands a solitary chair where the defendant is seated. This chair is enchanted with chains that can spring to life and bind the person sitting in it, as witnessed by Harry Potter in Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve. Historically, these courtrooms have been the venue for the most serious trials in the Wizarding world, overseen by the Wizengamot. Following the First Wizarding War, many captured Death Eaters were tried here, including Igor Karkaroff, Ludo Bagman, and the group consisting of Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr.. While typically reserved for major criminal cases, the courtrooms were also used for disciplinary hearings of a political nature, such as Harry Potter's hearing for improper use of underage magic. During the period when the Ministry of Magic was controlled by Lord Voldemort, the courtrooms became instruments of oppression, used by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission to persecute and falsely imprison Muggle-born witches and wizards.

The Ministry Courtrooms appear at several critical moments, often symbolizing the state of justice and corruption within the Ministry of Magic.

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Harry first sees the courtrooms through Dumbledore's Pensieve. He witnesses the trials of several Death Eaters from the end of the First Wizarding War. These memories provide crucial exposition on characters like Igor Karkaroff, Barty Crouch Sr., Barty Crouch Jr., and Bellatrix Lestrange, establishing their histories and allegiances.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Harry is tried in Courtroom Ten for casting a Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle. The trial is a politically motivated attempt by Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge to discredit Harry and Dumbledore. Tried before the full Wizengamot, Harry is ultimately cleared of all charges thanks to Dumbledore's legal defense and the testimony of Arabella Figg. The event starkly reveals the Ministry's paranoia and corruption.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Under Voldemort's control, the courtrooms are used by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, headed by Dolores Umbridge. Dementors are present to torment the accused Muggle-borns. Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger infiltrate the Ministry and disrupt the trial of Mary Cattermole, freeing her and other Muggle-borns while also retrieving Salazar Slytherin's Locket from Umbridge. This act demonstrates the complete perversion of justice at the Ministry.

• Courtroom Ten: The specific courtroom where Harry Potter's disciplinary hearing was held. It is located on the bottom level of the Ministry. Its appearance is identical to the courtrooms Harry had previously seen in the Pensieve.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the courtroom is depicted as a vast, circular, and multi-storied chamber, far grander than the dungeon-like room described in the novel. The accused stands within a metal cage that rises from the floor into the center of the room. (film)