Guidance

Commercial Court hearing and trial dates

The earliest available dates (lead times) for hearings and trials at the Commercial Court, based on how long they are expected to last.

• From: HM Courts & Tribunals Service
• Published: 12 August 2015
• Last updated: 7 May 2024 — See all updates

The Commercial Court handles the most difficult and high value business disputes.

Smaller and less complex cases are handled by the Circuit Commercial Court which has its own lead times.

The lead times show how long the current wait for a hearing or trial is, based on how long they are expected to last.

Lead times for hearings and trials at the Commercial Court

Availability for applications and case management conferences

Length of hearing	Availability
30 minutes	Fridays from 7 June 2024
1 hour	Fridays from 7 June 2024
1.5 to 2 hours	Fridays from 7 June 2024
Half a day	Fridays from 7 June 2024
1 day	8, 9, 10, 14, 23 and 24 October 2024 Then from 29 October 2024
Over 1 day	From 18 November 2024

Availability for trials

Length of trial	Availability
1 to 2 days	November 2024 January 2025 May 2025 October 2025 Then from January 2026
3 days	November 2024 January 2025 May 2025 October 2025 Then from January 2026
1 week	November 2024 January 2025 May 2025 October 2025 Then from January 2026
2 to 3 weeks	October 2025 Then from January 2026
4 weeks	From January 2026
Over 4 weeks	From January 2026

Published 12 August 2015
Last updated 7 May 2024 + show all updates

1. 7 May 2024

   Updated the lead times.

2. 17 April 2024

   Updated the lead times.

3. 28 March 2024

   Lead times updated

4. 15 March 2024

   Updated the lead times.

5. 29 February 2024

   Updated lead times

6. 15 February 2024

   Updated the lead times.

7. 1 February 2024

   Updated the lead times.

8. 15 January 2024

   Updated the lead times

9. 5 January 2024

   Updated the lead times.

10. 20 December 2023

    Updated the lead times.

11. 19 December 2023

    Updated the lead times

12. 8 December 2023

    Updated the lead times.

13. 23 November 2023

    Updated the lead times

14. 14 November 2023

    Updated the lead times.

15. 6 November 2023

    Lead times updated.

16. 26 October 2023

    Updated the lead times.

17. 10 October 2023

    Updated lead times.

18. 28 September 2023

    Updated the lead times

19. 13 September 2023

    Updated lead times.

20. 30 August 2023

    Updated the lead times

21. 1 August 2023

    Updated the lead times

22. 18 July 2023

    Updated the lead times

23. 28 June 2023

    Updated the lead times

24. 14 June 2023

    Updated the lead times

25. 30 May 2023

    Updated the lead times

26. 17 May 2023

    Updated the lead times

27. 4 May 2023

    Updated the lead times

28. 19 April 2023

    Updated the lead times

29. 4 April 2023

    Updated the lead times

30. 22 March 2023

    Updated the lead times

31. 7 March 2023

    Updated lead times

32. 20 February 2023

    Updated the lead times

33. 3 February 2023

    Updated the lead times

34. 24 January 2023

    Updated the lead times

35. 5 January 2023

    Updated the lead times

36. 19 December 2022

    Updated the lead times

37. 6 December 2022

    Updated lead times

38. 22 November 2022

    Updated the lead times

39. 9 November 2022

    Updated lead times

40. 26 October 2022

    Updated lead times

41. 14 October 2022

    Updated dates and times

42. 29 September 2022

    Updated the lead times

43. 20 September 2022

    Updated lead times

44. 5 September 2022

    Lead times updated

45. 18 August 2022

    Lead times updated

46. 4 August 2022

    Updated lead times

47. 20 July 2022

    Lead times updated

48. 6 July 2022

    Updated lead times

49. 23 June 2022

    Updated lead times

50. 9 June 2022

    Updated lead times

51. 23 May 2022

    Updated lead times

52. 6 May 2022

    Updated lead times

53. 20 April 2022

    Updated lead times published for the Commercial Court

54. 7 April 2022

    Updated lead times published for the Commercial Court

55. 25 March 2022

    Updated lead times

56. 10 March 2022

    Updated lead times

57. 25 February 2022

    Updated lead times

58. 15 February 2022

    Updated lead times

59. 1 February 2022

    Updated lead times

60. 21 January 2022

    Updated lead times

61. 10 January 2022

    Updated lead times

62. 22 December 2021

    Updated lead times

63. 15 December 2021

    Updated lead times

64. 30 November 2021

    Updated lead times

65. 12 November 2021

    Updated lead times published for the Commercial Court.

66. 1 November 2021

    Updating lead times

67. 13 October 2021

    Updated lead times published.

68. 30 September 2021

    Updated lead times.

69. 17 September 2021

    Updated lead times published.

70. 3 September 2021

    Updated the dates

71. 18 August 2021

    Updates to lead times

72. 21 July 2021

    Updated lead times.

73. 19 July 2021

    Updated the lead times.

74. 1 July 2021

    Updated the lead times for hearings and trials.

75. 15 June 2021

    Updated lead times for hearings and trials.

76. 27 May 2021

    Updated lead times

77. 4 May 2021

    Hearing dates updated.

78. 25 February 2021

    Updated 25 February

79. 15 February 2021

    Updated 15 February.

80. 9 February 2021

    Updated 9 February

81. 26 January 2021

    Updated 26 January

82. 6 January 2021

    Updated 6 January

83. 14 December 2020

    Lead times updated.

84. 27 November 2020

    Times updated.

85. 9 November 2020

    Lead times updated.

86. 23 October 2020

    Updated 23 October.

87. 8 October 2020

    Updated as of 8 October 2020

88. 18 September 2020

    hearing and trial dates updated

89. 28 August 2020

    Return dates updated.

90. 6 August 2020

    Hearing and trial dates updated.

91. 24 July 2020

    Hearing and trial dates updated.

92. 30 June 2020

    Return dates for applications updated. 1 day now December 2020.

93. 23 June 2020

    Times updated.

94. 5 June 2020

    Times updated

95. 18 May 2020

    Slight amendment to information for 1-2 day trials.

96. 14 May 2020

    Updated lengths and dates of hearings.

97. 23 April 2020

    Times updated.

98. 6 April 2020

    Times updated

99. 17 March 2020

    Times updated.

100. 26 February 2020

     Times updated.

101. 18 February 2020

     Hearing and trial dates updated.

102. 12 February 2020

     Lead times updated.

103. 28 January 2020

     Page updated. No change to lead times.

104. 9 January 2020

     Times updated.

105. 20 December 2019

     Times updated

106. 2 December 2019

     Times updated

107. 15 November 2019

     List updated

108. 22 October 2019

     Times updated.

109. 27 September 2019

     Court hearing and trials dates updated.

110. 2 September 2019

     Updated 2 September 2019.

111. 7 August 2019

     Lists updated 7 August. No change to lead times.

112. 22 July 2019

     Updated lead times 22.7.19

113. 2 July 2019

     Updated return dates for applications 2.7.19

114. 18 June 2019

     Updated 18.6.19

115. 31 May 2019

     Updated lead times 31.5.19

116. 15 May 2019

     Court hearing and trial dates updated.

117. 29 April 2019

     Updated 29.4.19

118. 8 April 2019

     Updated 8.4.19

119. 15 March 2019

     Updated 15.3.19

120. 25 February 2019

     Updated 25.2.19

121. 5 February 2019

     Updated 5.2.19

122. 25 January 2019

     Updated 25.1.19

123. 3 January 2019

     Dates updated.

124. 7 December 2018

     Times updated 7 December 2018.

125. 16 November 2018

     Updated 16.11.18

126. 23 October 2018

     Dates amended 23.10.18

127. 1 October 2018

     Updated 01.10.18

128. 10 September 2018

     List updated 10 September 2018.

129. 23 August 2018

     Updated hearing dates for 23 August 2018.

130. 3 August 2018

     Updated 3.8.18

131. 27 June 2018

     Updated 27.6.18

132. 15 June 2018

     Updated times 14.6.18

133. 4 June 2018

     Updated times 4.6.18

134. 22 May 2018

     Updated times 22.5.18

135. 8 May 2018

     Updated times 8.5.18

136. 16 April 2018

     Updated lists 16.4.18

137. 29 March 2018

     Lead times updated.

138. 9 March 2018

     Updated times 9.3.18

139. 22 February 2018

     Updated times 22.2.18

140. 5 February 2018

     Waiting times updated 5.2.18.

141. 22 January 2018

     Updated times for 22.1.18

142. 4 January 2018

     Times updated on 4/1/17.

143. 18 December 2017

     Regular update.

144. 28 November 2017

     Regular update

145. 9 November 2017

     Regular update

146. 27 October 2017

     Regular update.

147. 4 October 2017

     Regular update.

148. 18 September 2017

     Regular update.

149. 29 August 2017

     Regular update

150. 7 August 2017

     Regular update

151. 3 July 2017

     Regular update

152. 19 June 2017

     Regular update

153. 5 June 2017

     Regular update

154. 15 May 2017

     Regular update.

155. 24 April 2017

     Regular update.

156. 3 April 2017

     Regular update

157. 15 March 2017

     Regular update.

158. 1 March 2017

     Regular update

159. 15 February 2017

     Regular update

160. 31 January 2017

     Regular update.

161. 3 January 2017

     Latest Update.

162. 24 November 2016

     Regular update.

163. 8 November 2016

     Regular update

164. 26 September 2016

     Regular update

165. 25 July 2016

     Regular update

166. 12 July 2016

     Regular update

167. 23 May 2016

     Regular update

168. 22 April 2016

     Regular update

169. 7 March 2016

     Regular update

170. 12 February 2016

     Hearings and trials updated.

171. 5 January 2016

     Regular update

172. 20 November 2015

     Regular update

173. 12 August 2015

     First published.