Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 12 February 2021.

• Updated: Our work to safely increase capacity in our courts and tribunals continues. Over 290 courtrooms are now available for jury trials, and the Nightingale programme currently provides 40 courtrooms across the estate, with more scheduled to open this month. Meanwhile, 20,000 hearings are being undertaken via the Cloud Video Platform (CVP) each month as we continue to make full use of remote alternatives wherever possible. Following last year’s consultation, the COVID Operating Hours proposal continues to be under review by the Lord Chancellor.
• Updated: We opened a jury trial courtroom for Crown Court work at Lancaster Town Hall. Next week we will be opening a new Nightingale Court in Taunton, which will have two courtrooms for Crown Court and Magistrates’ work.
• Updated: We encourage all court and tribunals users to take part in any Community Testing Programme that is available locally. You can check your local authority website to find out more. In locations where new virus variants have been found the government strongly advises you to take a COVID test, whether you are showing symptoms or not.
• Updated: From Monday 15 February 2021, the Evidence Presentation System (EPS) will begin rolling out to Crown & magistrates’ courts, replacing Clickshare, for use in presenting multi-media evidence in court.
• A pilot for the rapid testing of COVID-19 among court and tribunal users started at Manchester Civil Justice Centre on Friday 29 January 2021.
• A 12-month extended opening hours pilot is being relaunched in Birmingham, Stoke on Trent and Loughborough Service Centres. Since Monday 1 February 2021 anyone who has a query about divorce and probate can now receive help from dedicated staff between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 2pm on Saturdays. Queries about social security and child support will be answered from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.
• We held a webinar for legal professionals to provide information on the arrangements in place at courts and tribunals to meet the Government’s COVID-secure requirements and Public Health guidelines. We have published a recording of the webinar and will soon publish written responses to all the questions submitted.
• We published a blog to outline the steps we are all taking to keep custody suites in court safe for all who use them, as well as the additional measures in place when producing defendants to a court hearing from a prison.
• 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.
• Reminder: 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). Guidance has also been published to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Crime

• 79 Crown Courts have resumed jury trials, as well as 13 non-custodial jury trial courtrooms across 7 Nightingale Courts sites who have started to hold jury trials.
• We’ve installed plexiglass screens into over 450 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms.
• Magistrates’ courts are facilitating the remote attendance of those involved in proceedings where the court has directed, and is able to facilitate, this. The safe operation of courts remains paramount so listing volumes are being adjusted to reduce the number of people coming to court, in line with the Lord Chief Justice’s recent statement. Updated guidance has been issued to those still required to attend in person.
• 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.
• 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

• Civil court listing priorities. Civil court listing priorities w/c 8 February 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 8 February 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 8 February 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 8 February 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.