People, progress and purpose in the criminal courts

In this blog post, our Chief Executive, Nick Goodwin, reflects on challenges, achievements and progress in the criminal justice system during the last year. 

One million pleas have been made online

Over the past 6 years, most defendants facing non-imprisonable motoring offences such as speeding or having no insurance have been able to enter their plea online.

One-year anniversary of judges' sentencing remarks on TV

In the 12 months since the change in the law permitting camera crews to film judges in the Crown Court for the first time, over 30 cases have been broadcast.

We've joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network

It's estimated that 70 to 80% of disabilities are hidden, and we aim to help people visiting court and tribunal buildings who may need additional support.

Small claims mediation to become a requirement

Thousands of people will have access to free mediation sessions to resolve disputes away from court for small civil claims values up to £10,000.

Victims of rape and sexual violence will be better supported following a £26 million investment in specialist services.

Support Through Court is a charity which helps people facing civil and family proceedings without legal representation - this blog post describes how.

Complete our 2023 communications and engagement survey to tell us what you think about how we interact with you, what works well now and how we can improve.

We've updated our guidance on recognising fake phone HMCTS calls, emails and text messages from scammers, and on how to report them.

Legal professionals using MyHMCTS to pay a claim issue fee for Damages Claims and Online Civil Money Claims services can use a card or Pay by Account (PBA).

We've published monthly management information from May 2022 to May 2023 to understand workload volumes and timeliness in courts and tribunals.