Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 23 October 2020.

• Updated: Following further announcements on (15 Oct 2020) on changes to the local COVID Alert Levels in England, the previous local restrictions in England and those local restrictions in Wales, courts and tribunals will continue to operate within COVID-secure guidelines. As an essential public service, the work of the courts and tribunals continues and there are currently no plans to change scheduled hearings. This is the same as the approach taken when similar local restrictions were implemented earlier in the summer, for example in the city of Leicester. We are following public health advice and are experienced in managing COVID-secure ways of working with a range of mitigating measures in place.
• Updated: We’re introducing the NHS Test and Trace QR codes within our buildings, with posters being displayed in prominent locations in all of our sites. Although it’s an entirely voluntary system, we’re encouraging all court and tribunal users to scan the QR code via the NHS COVID-19 app to ‘check in’ when they attend a court or tribunal building. HMCTS employees and members of the judiciary do not need to scan the NHS QR code, as we already maintain their records and contact details to notify them if needed.
• Reminder: You should not come to any of our court and tribunal buildings if you have coronavirus symptoms, if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or if you have been instructed by the NHS to self-isolate. Please contact the court or tribunal before you are due to attend so that suitable arrangements can be made for your hearing. Read our guidance about coming to court during the pandemic. While public health legislation allows those involved in legal proceedings to come out of self-isolation when necessary, you must consult with the court or tribunal first who will consider and decide on appropriate arrangements.
• Updated: We are opening new Nightingale Courts in Bristol and Chester in the week commencing Monday 19 October. This will bring the total number of Nightingale Courts currently open to 14.
• We’re asking that court and tribunal users wear a face covering in all public and communal parts of our buildings in England and Wales. Those people using our buildings in Scotland may also wear face coverings, but they remain optional. We’ve published guidance on wearing a face covering when coming to court.
• Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres are available from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm on Fridays until further notice. Courts and Tribunals Service Centre - advice on contacting HMCTS during coronavirus (PDF, 218KB, 5 pages).
• Welsh Language services available during the coronavirus outbreak. Welsh language services update (PDF, 134KB, 1 page).

Crime

• Updated: From week commencing Monday 19 October 2020 jury trials will have resumed in 77 Crown Courts and are running in 5 Nightingale Courts and 2 other existing court locations.
• Crown Courts due to restart jury trials in October 2020 (dates to be confirmed) – Doncaster Justice Centre South (Doncaster Crown Court), satellite of Sheffield, Preston Crown Court and Family Court (Sessions House) Annex, and King’s Lynn Crown Court).
• Updated: We have installed plexiglass screens in 212 court rooms and 125 jury deliberation rooms so far. Further installations are being planned for October 2020.
• Crown Courts continue to deal with a range of work remotely, including 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 now dealing with most business type hearings. Since August 2020, magistrates’ courts have been completing more cases than have been received and the number of sittings are almost at pre-covid levels. We are working hard to return this to 100%, in a COVID-safe way.
• The judiciary has published a note of listing in magistrates’ courts during coronavirus outbreak.
• Common Platform is our new, digital case management system, now beginning rollout to a series of early adopter courts. As each court goes live with Common Platform, defence solicitors and barristers will need to register for accounts before any hearings they attend. This will allow on-the-day check-in, self-serving access to case material, and linking to a case/defendant for payment purposes for the Legal Aid Agency.
• All questions about paying an outstanding criminal court fine should be sent to our National Compliance and Enforcement Service at NCESWE@justice.gov.uk or call 0300 123 9252.

Family

• Family courts business priorities. Family court business priorities w/c 19 October 2020 (PDF, 87.6KB, 1 page).
• Family court C100 (child arrangements) guidance. Family court: Child Arrangements C100 application guidance (PDF, 72.2KB, 1 page).
• Guidance on replacement of affidavits with statements of truth in non-contentious probate processes has been extended until the end of October.

Civil

• Civil court listing priorities. Civil court listing priorities w/c 19 October 2020 (PDF, 76.3KB, 1 page).
• Possession cases have restarted following a pause in March 2020. We have published a page that contains updated forms and documents to reactivate a possession case, as well as information for claimants and defendants on possession cases.

Tribunals

• The Judiciary have published various updates, user help guides and frequently asked questions documents on their website.

Royal Courts of Justice

• The Royal Courts of Justice operational update: The Royal Courts of Justice operational update w/c 19 October 2020 (PDF, 78.7KB, 1 page).
• The High Court is covering work according to the High Court Contingency Plan.
• Queen’s Bench Masters Listing and Action Department Information for Court Users (PDF, 680KB, 12 pages)
• Queen’s Bench Division Information for Court Users (PDF, 414KB, 4 pages)
• More detailed guidance for the Administrative Court Office. Administrative Court Office guidance (PDF, 556KB, 8 pages)
• The Court of Appeal Civil Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities. Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities w/c 19 October 2020 (PDF, 90.7KB, 1 page).
• The Court of Appeal Criminal Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Emergency Plan. RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Division update w/c 19 October 2020 (PDF, 128KB, 3 pages).
• Royal Courts of Justice Fees Office Information for Court Users (PDF, 397KB, 2 pages)
• The Senior Costs Judge has published a note on hearings and detailed assessments in the Senior Courts Costs Office Senior Courts Costs Office update (PDF, 64.6KB, 3 pages).

Judicial announcements

• The Judicial Office has published important advice and guidance, including user help guides.