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Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 1 April 2022.
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Updated: From 1 April 2022 our new intermediary services contracts will create a standardised and fairer support service for users. Intermediaries are communication specialists working on behalf of HMCTS to support vulnerable users to partake in court or tribunal hearings.
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Reminder: The Grand Connaught Rooms in Holborn will replace our Nightingale court at Monument. It will begin operating 2 Crown courtrooms from the end of March.
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Reminder: We’ve worked alongside a research team at Oxford University to design and create a series of audio-visual guides and documentation that will improve the support available to users participating in online hearings.
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Reminder: The professional users access scheme is now available across all our sites in England and Wales, allowing fast track entry for members holding an ID card.
Crime
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Updated: Common Platform will go live in 11 criminal courts in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire from week commencing Monday 28 March 2022. Read more about the system and continuous improvements we’re making in our latest blog. All criminal defence firms and chambers working at courts in these counties need to register their legal practitioners for Common Platform user accounts if they have not already done so. In addition, defence practitioners need to activate their accounts before attending court.
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Updated: We revised and updated our guidance for defence professionals on how to use Common Platform.
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Updated: We also published new guidance for organisational administrators at legal firms and chambers on creating Common Platform user accounts, assigning roles, and other system tasks.
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Reminder: Defence solicitors and barristers attending court for a Common Platform hearing should use the professional check-in feature, in both the Crown and magistrates’ courts. Watch our video guide to find out more. If you experience issues, please let the court usher or clerk know and they can assist. Checking in does not remove the need to communicate with court ushers regarding your case.
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Reminder: If you have a Common Platform account, you need to login at least once every 90 days to keep it active. If your account is inactive for 90 days, it will be deregistered for security reasons. You will receive an automatic email notifying you before your account is deregistered: login to the system, and your account will remain live.
Civil
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Reminder: From Monday 4 April 2022, legal professionals issuing claims for damages that fall under the scope of Practice Direction 51ZB should use the Damages Claim service on MyHMCTS. Legal professionals acting for claimants can find guidance and sign up on GOV.UK. The Civil Procedure Rules will be updated soon to require all damages claims where the defendant is legally represented to be completed online.
Family
Judicial guidance and announcements
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