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Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 23 July 2021.
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Updated: We published a blog from our Acting CEO, Kevin Sadler, on the cautious and gradual changes we’ll be making to some of the measuresat our England courts and tribunals in England to safely increase capacity from Monday 19 July 2021.
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Updated: We have organised an online discussion for legal professionals on Tuesday 27 July 2021 at 5pm to 6pm. The session will discuss how we are responding to Step 4 of the government’s roadmap out of national restrictions for England. The event will be chaired by Paul Harris, HMCTS Operations Director, with questions and feedback steered by legal professional body representatives who will also sit on the panel, including representatives from The Law Society, Bar Council, Criminal Bar Association and CILEX. Registration for the event is now open.
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Updated: Newcastle Civil, Family and Tribunals Centre officially opened on 14 July 2021. Based in Newcastle Civic Centre, the 25-room building provides a modern space for civil, family and tribunal hearings in the city. It replaces a number of buildings, some not fit for purpose, that previously heard this work providing an accessible, single space for judges, staff and court users.
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Reminder: We actively encourage our staff and all court users to support their local authorities by taking part in surge testing in areas affected by variants of concern. We also strongly encourage everyone to continue with twice-weekly asymptomatic rapid testing regardless of their vaccination status. Anyone who tests positive should self-isolate and follow the latest NHS advice.
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Reminder: Home testing kits are available from all English and Welsh courts and tribunal sites and will be offered to all professional court users, legal professionals, judiciary, contractors, jurors, witness services and staff who attend scheduled hearings.
Crime
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Updated: The national rollout of the Common Platform criminal case management system continues, with 7 more courts going live this week in the North West and the North East. Defence solicitors and barristers in these areas need to register for user accounts.
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Updated: Common Platform is now live in 95 courts (30 Crown Courts and 65 magistrates’ courts). This means 42% of criminal courts are now managing cases on Common Platform. During the week commencing Monday 19 July 2021, Common Platform is scheduled to go live in 6 more courts in the north-east.
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Reminder: Defence professionals can download the Initial Details of the Prosecution Case (IDPC) directly from Common Platform, instead of requesting this from the Crown Prosecution Service. You can also upload case documents directly to Common Platform. If you are working on a Common Platform case, please use this feature instead of emailing documents to HMCTS or our service centre.
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Reminder: Defence solicitors and barristers can use the Common Platform professional check-in feature in both the Crown and magistrates’ Court. This records your name against the court record for Legal Aid Agency payment purposes, and informs the judge, legal adviser or court clerk that you are in attendance. Watch our video guide to find out more.
Family
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Updated: On Tuesday 13 July 2021 we published our response to the consultation Proposal on the future of Medway County and Family Court. We confirmed that Medway County and Family Court will relocate to the Medway Council buildings at Gun Wharf once enabling works are completed. As an interim measure the Holiday Inn (Rochester – Chatham), is operating following our exit from the existing court building in June 2021.
- Improvements to the probate service on MyHMCTS are planned in mid-July 2021. To prepare for this please submit or delete unsubmitted cases on your dashboard. Unsubmitted cases will not be available after the improvements go live. More information on the improvements and updated guidance will be published in due course.
Tribunals
Royal Courts of Justice
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