Courts and Tribunals Weekly Operational Update - Coronavirus: week commencing Monday 21 December 2020

HMCTS weekly operational update during coronavirus outbreak

HMCTS weekly operational update: Week commencing Monday 21 December 2020

Next week’s update will be issued on Wednesday 23 December 2020.

Crime

  • Updated: We’ve installed plexiglass screens into over 400 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms. Over 260 courtrooms have been assessed as being capable and available to hold jury trials.
  • 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.

Family

  • Family courts continue to prioritise work as agreed with the President of the Family Division. Work levels are slowly returning to pre-COVID levels and we are working hard to return this to 100%, in a COVID-safe way.

Civil

Tribunals

Royal Courts of Justice

Judicial announcements