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Friday 26 September 2025
A weekly round-up of the latest news and information about courts and tribunals
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In July, we highlighted changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules that come into effect on 6 October 2025. They will explicitly state that parties applying for discretionary reporting restrictions in criminal cases should notify the media directly. This ensures media organisations can participate in hearings and challenge restrictions where appropriate.
The rules clarify that this responsibility of notifying the media of applications rests entirely with the applicant, not the court. Crown and magistrates’ courts have email distribution lists for the media which parties can use to notify them of relevant applications.
We advise legal professionals to review their current reporting restriction applications processes and ensure compliance with the new notification requirements. Failure to notify the media may result in applications being refused or restrictions being lifted.
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We have created two new courtrooms to hear civil and family cases, with both rooms featuring our latest audio-visual equipment. These facilities provide increased capacity and flexible hearing options, supporting fully remote or hybrid formats.
The equipment includes screens that jurors, judges, advocates and hearing participants can use to view evidence and improved sound quality to enhance the quality of remote hearings.
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Earlier this month, we partnered with the National Justice Museum to deliver educational workshops at Nuneaton Justice Centre and Manchester Crown Court, providing young people aged 8–18 with a unique introduction to the justice system.
Working in real courtrooms, participants explored mock cases, presented trials, and took on various roles from witnesses to judges. Students also met members of the judiciary and legal professionals, asking questions and gaining insights into potential career paths.
These workshops form part of a wider UK programme designed to inspire the next generation and build understanding of how our justice system operates.
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The Ministry of Justice has published its most recent official quarterly criminal court statistics for the period April to June 2025.
The publication covers the type and volume of cases received and processed through the criminal court system of England and Wales, including statistics on case timeliness.
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IFF Research, an independent social and market research organisation, is conducting a survey on behalf of HMCTS to evaluate the HMCTS Reform Programme within the crime jurisdiction.
The survey has been sent directly to defence practitioners and the deadline for responses has been extended to Monday 6 October 2025. Completion takes approximately 15 minutes and all responses will be treated confidentially.
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