Courts and Tribunals Weekly Operational Update - Coronavirus: 24 April 2020

HMCTS weekly operational update during coronavirus outbreak

HMCTS weekly operational update: 24 April 2020

From Friday 24 April 2020 are issuing weekly updates on our opertional position and we’ll email our subscribers each Sunday evening with a reminder. On Monday mornings we’ll also publish a link to the weekly update on Twitter.

You can see our previously issued daily operational updates.

Follow us on @HMCTSgovuk to also check for daily or urgent updates.

We’ll keep this under review.

  • We have many online court and tribunal services available to professional users and members of the public. These remove the need to contact us by phone, email or post.
  • We’re consolidating the work of courts and tribunals into fewer buildings. Some building are open to the public, some buildings are staffed but are not open to the public, and some buildings are temporarily closed. The list was updated 23 April 2020
  • Where courts and tribunals are closed, we’ll contact parties directly to confirm new hearing arrangements. We’ll contact those parties whose hearings were scheduled to happen first, and work our way through the list as quickly as possible. Please be patient while we do this, and avoid making contact if you can.
  • Cloud Video Platform (CVP) will start to be used in some civil and family hearings, as well as Skype. Please see our updated telephone and video hearings during coronavirus outbreak and a guide on how to join a telephone and video hearing
  • Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres will be available from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm on Fridays until further notice
  • Our South East region will only be taking calls between 10am to 2pm in all jurisdictions (with the exceptions on the next line)
  • Chelmsford, Norwich, Ipswich and Basildon Crown Courts are temporarily unable to answer calls. The recorded message will advise you what to do
  • We’re continuing to avoid physical hearings and arranging remote hearings wherever possible. Anyone who requires technical support for a telephone or video hearing can call 0330 8089405
  • We’ve introduced temporary new hours in our Scotland contact centre. HMCTS Scotland contact centre opening hours 24 April 2020 (PDF, 149KB, 1 page)

Crime

  • There are no Jury trials currently underway
  • Crown Courts are dealing with a range of work, much of which is being done remotely. This includes sentencing hearings and all urgent applications including applications for bail and applications to extend custody time limits. Pre-trial preparation hearings and further case management hearings are also taking place
  • Magistrates’ courts are only covering urgent work and we plan to re-start work on police traffic prosecution cases that can be dealt with remotely. Magistrates' court cases update: 24 April 2020 (PDF, 235KB, 1 page). The Judiciary have published a note of listing in magistrates’ courts during coronavirus outbreak
  • Since 19 March 2020 Single Justice Procedure cases – other than some police road traffic cases - have been suspended. Decisions on those cases already listed will be delayed, as will all cases where there has been a not guilty plea
  • All questions about paying an outstanding criminal court fine should be sent to our National Compliance and Enforcement Service at NCESBCT@justice.gov.uk or call 0300 123 9252

Family

Civil

Tribunals

Royal Courts of Justice

Judicial announcements

 

Please visit our GOV.UK page for all operational updates