Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 22 January 2021.

• Updated: If you live in an area where rapid (lateral flow device) COVID tests are being offered, we encourage you to get a test to support community efforts to help stop the spread of the virus. You can check with your local authority if tests are available in your area. If you choose to have a test and test positive, do not come to a court or tribunal building; contact the court or tribunal to let them know; follow NHS advice.
• Updated: Read our guidance on attending hearings during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Updated: Our Acting CEO, Kevin Sadler, has posted a blog on working together in the safest way possible way to keep justice going for every complainant, victim, witness and defendant during the coronavirus pandemic.
• The justice system remains open as an essential public service. Courts and tribunals continue to operate within the national restrictions in England, alert levels in Wales and protection levels in Scotland.
• All those essential to keeping the justice system running are considered critical workers. This applies to all those who work in courts and tribunals, as well as jurors and public court users, who are permitted to attend their place of work when necessary, to travel, to stay overnight in accommodation. Critical workers can access school places for children.
• We review and update our COVID risk assessments each week and apply any changes needed. You can ask for a copy from your local court. If you have any questions about how the risk assessment meets government guidance or how it’s being followed, you can raise your concerns following our escalation process. Escalation routes for professional users (PDF, 266KB, 3 pages)
• 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).

Crime

• Updated: We have opened 2 additional courtrooms for criminal work at the Royal Courts of Justice.
• Updated: We’ve installed plexiglass screens into over 450 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms. More than 290 courtrooms have been assessed as being capable and available to hold jury trials, in addition to over 120 courtrooms for non-jury trial work across 79 Crown Court sites.
• 79 Crown Courts have resumed jury trials, as well as 4 other existing court venues and 6 Nightingale Courts sites who have started to hold jury trials.
• The Crown Court is hearing all types of applications and cases, including multi-hander trials. Where appropriate, judges continue to deal with a range of work remotely, including sentencing hearings.
• 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

• Updated: The Nightingale Court at Hull University opened on Monday 11 January 2021, providing one extra courtroom for civil and family work.
• Civil court listing priorities. Civil court listing priorities w/c 18 January 2021 (PDF, 76.3KB, 1 page).

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 18 January 2021 (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, 586KB, 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 18 January 2021 (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 18 January 2021 (PDF, 99.8KB, 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

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