Next week’s update will be issued on Wednesday 23 December 2020.
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Updated: This week we opened 2 further Nightingale Courts at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Library, and Lancaster Town Hall. There are 18 Nightingale court sites currently open providing an additional 33 courtrooms.
- Further to the local restriction tiers in England, the current rules in Wales and local protection levels in Scotland - courts and tribunals 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. We are following public health advice and are experienced in managing COVID-secure ways of working with a range of mitigating measures in place.
- Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres have updated some of their operating hours. Courts and Tribunals Service Centre - advice on contacting HMCTS during coronavirus (PDF, 225KB, 5 pages)
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Reminder: Crown Courts, magistrates’ courts, County and Family Courts, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Rolls Building, and tribunals will close over the Christmas period, although some emergency courts may operate over the holiday on these days.
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Reminder: Court and tribunal users must continue to wear a face covering in all public and communal parts of our buildings. This includes robing rooms. This is in line with Government advice on face coverings (England), Face coverings: guidance for public (Wales) and COVID-19 stage 3: staying safe and protecting others (Scotland).
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Reminder: All court and tribunal users are reminded to familiarise themselves with the criteria of a ‘close contact’ and what is meant by ‘contact’ with someone who has tested positive as stated in public health guidance.
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Reminder: You should not come to any of our court and tribunal buildings if you have coronavirus symptoms, if you are awaiting a test result, 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.
Crime
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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
- The Royal Courts of Justice operational update: The Royal Courts of Justice operational update w/c 21 December 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, 583KB, 14 pages)
- Queen’s Bench Division Information for Court Users (PDF, 277KB, 4 pages)
- More detailed guidance for the Administrative Court Office. Administrative Court Office guidance (PDF, 355KB, 12 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 21 December 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 21 December 2020 (PDF, 99.9KB, 3 pages).
- Royal Courts of Justice Fees Office Information for Court Users (PDF, 264KB, 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