Guidance

HMCTS weekly operational summary on courts and tribunals during coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

This page provides a weekly summary of the HM Courts and Tribunals Service operational position during the coronavirus pandemic. We will aim to update this every Friday at 5pm.

Published 24 April 2020
Last updated 7 August 2020 — see all updates

• From: HM Courts & Tribunals Service

We are issuing weekly updates on our operational position and we’ll email our subscribers each Sunday evening with a reminder. On Monday mornings we’ll also publish a link to the weekly update on Twitter.

You can see our previously issued daily operational updates.

Follow us on @HMCTSgovuk to also check for daily or urgent updates.

We’ll keep this under review.

HMCTS operational summary for week commencing Monday 10 August 2020

Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 14 August 2020.

• Updated: On Monday 3 August Prospero House, one of the 10 Nightingale Court sites across England and Wales, became operational. These sites will add temporary capacity to hear cases and help the court and tribunal system to run as effectively and as safely as possible during the coronavirus outbreak.
• Updated: As of Monday 3 August, several court fees have been reduced. These include some fees for bailiff services, fees for filing insolvency documents and some probate fees.
• Updated: Please wear a face covering when coming to our court and tribunal buildings in England, unless you have a valid reason not to do so. This minimises the coronavirus risk throughout our buildings.
• The Kinly Cloud Video Platform (CVP) is being rolled out to Crown and magistrates’ courts across England and Wales to support video enabled hearings. We are extending the availability of our new video platform to civil and family courts, to enable more remote cases to be heard safely and securely. For more info on joining telephone and video hearings please see our guide. We’ve also published information for legal practitioners who are involved in video enabled criminal hearings. If you require technical support for a telephone or video hearing call 0330 8089405.
• Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres will be available from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm on Fridays until further notice. Courts and Tribunals Service Centre - advice on contacting HMCTS during coronavirus (PDF, 218KB, 5 pages).
• Welsh Language services available during the coronavirus outbreak. Welsh language services update (PDF, 133KB, 1 page).

Crime

• Updated: From Monday 10 August 2020, jury trials will have resumed in 64 Crown Courts.
• As part of work to ensure more jury trials can run safely, we’re installing framed plexiglass screens in more courtrooms over the coming weeks. We’ve tested this in Leeds, and Public Health England has checked and supports this approach. Installation of plastic screens is already underway and site surveys continue. So far over 100 courtrooms in around 50 buildings have been identified that could benefit.
• Crown Courts are dealing with a range of work, much of which is being done remotely. This includes sentencing hearings and all urgent applications including applications for bail and applications to extend custody time limits. Pre-trial preparation hearings and further case management hearings are also taking place.
• Magistrates’ courts and the youth courts are now dealing with all criminal business types. Urgent cases such as those where the defendant is being held in police or prison custody will continue to take priority. continue to cover urgent work, such as cases where the defendant is being held in police or prison custody. Magistrates' court cases (PDF, 112KB, 1 page).
• The number of summary trials listed is increasing, whilst still ensuring prioritisation is given to cases involving an allegation of domestic abuse and Domestic Violence Protection Orders.
• Cases where defendants are on bail and require listing in either a GAP or NGAP court are also being heard.
• The judiciary has published a note of listing in magistrates’ courts during coronavirus outbreak.
• Various other work including police traffic prosecutions, continue to be dealt with remotely using the Single Justice Procedure.
• All questions about paying an outstanding criminal court fine should be sent to our National Compliance and Enforcement Service at NCESWE@justice.gov.uk or call 0300 123 9252.

Family

• Family courts business priorities. Family court business priorities w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 87.6KB, 1 page).
• Family court C100 (child arrangements) guidance. Family court: Child Arrangements C100 application guidance (PDF, 119KB, 1 page).
• Guidance on replacement of affidavits with statements of truth in non-contentious probate processes.
• Coronavirus contingency arrangements for Family Law Act injunctions. Family Law Act injunctions changes (PDF, 126KB, 1 page).

Civil

• Civil court listing priorities. Civil court listing priorities w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 74.2KB, 1 page).

Tribunals

• Updated: The judiciary have published a new version of the User Guide for the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
• Payment of fees to the Lands Chamber, Payment of application and hearing fees to the Property Chamber.
• First-tier Tax Tribunal operational update First Tier Tax Tribunal operational update w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 157KB, 1 page).
• Property and General Regulatory Chamber operational updates Property and General Regulatory Chamber operational updates w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 38KB, 1 page).
• The judiciary have published a frequently asked questions document on Employment Tribunals during the coronavirus for parties who are representing themselves and professional representatives.
• The judiciary have published a frequently asked questions document for the First-Tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) during the coronavirus to assist users to better understand the services the tribunal is currently providing. First-Tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) covid-19 frequently asked questions (PDF, 165KB, 5 pages)
• Mental Health Tribunal telephone hearing guidance. Mental Health Tribunal telephone guidance (PDF, 85.9KB, 1 page).
• First-tier Immigration and Asylum Tribunal operational update. First Tier IAC operational update w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 88.7KB, 1 page).
• Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber operational update. Upper Tier IAC operational update w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 116KB, 1 page).
• The Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber has made changes to the way it currently works. Since Thursday 30 April 2020, all Judicial Review applications can be lodged using email. Upper Tribunal IAC Judicial Review changes (PDF, 173KB, 2 pages).

Royal Courts of Justice

• The Royal Courts of Justice operational update: The Royal Courts of Justice operational update w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 78.7KB, 1 page).
• The High Court is covering work according to the High Court Contingency Plan.
• More detailed guidance for the Administrative Court Office. Administrative Court Office guidance (PDF, 290KB, 8 pages) Queen's Bench guidance (PDF, 394KB, 3 pages)
• More detailed guidance for the Queen’s Bench. Queen's Bench guidance - Interim Applications Court (PDF, 166KB, 1 page) Queen's Bench guidance - Bulletin 1 (PDF, 258KB, 3 pages) Queen's Bench information for court users (PDF, 592KB, 12 pages) HMCTS Document Upload Centre - Professional User's Guide (PDF, 511KB, 3 pages) Queen's Bench guidance - Document Upload Centre (PDF, 62.7KB, 1 page).
• The Court of Appeal Civil Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities. Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 90KB, 1 page).
• The Court of Appeal Criminal Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Emergency Plan. RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Division update w/c 10 August 2020 (PDF, 102KB, 3 pages).
• The Royal Courts of Justice Fees Office is currently open to the public during the hours of 10:00am and 14:00pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday Royal Courts of Justice Fees Office update (PDF, 393KB, 1 page).
• The Senior Costs Judge has published a note on hearings and detailed assessments in the Senior Courts Costs Office Senior Courts Costs Office update (PDF, 64.6KB, 3 pages).

Judicial announcements

• The Judicial Office has published important advice and guidance, including user help guides.

Previous editions

• Week commencing Monday 27 July 2020
• Week commencing Monday 20 July 2020
• Week commencing Monday 13 July 2020
• Week commencing Monday 6 July 2020
• Week commencing Monday 29 June 2020
• Week commencing Monday 22 June 2020
• Week commencing Monday 15 June 2020
• Week commencing Monday 8 June 2020
• Week commencing Monday 1 June 2020
• Week commencing Monday 25 May 2020
• Week commencing Monday 18 May 2020
• Week commencing Monday 11 May 2020
• Week commencing Monday 4 May 2020
• Friday 24 April 2020

Published 24 April 2020
Last updated 7 August 2020 + show all updates

1. 7 August 2020

   Update for week commencing 10 August 2020 published.

2. 3 August 2020

   Added translation

3. 31 July 2020

   Update for week commencing Monday 3 August 2020 published.

4. 24 July 2020

   Update for week commencing 27 July 2020 published.

5. 19 July 2020

   Updated to include annoucement from the Lord Chancellor on locations for 10 ‘Nightingale Courts’.

6. 17 July 2020

   Updated for week commencing 20 July 2020 published.

7. 10 July 2020

   Update for week commencing 13 July 2020 published.

8. 6 July 2020

   Added translation

9. 3 July 2020

   Update for week commencing 6 July 2020 published.

10. 26 June 2020

    Update for week commencing Monday 29 June 2020 published.

11. 19 June 2020

    Update for week commencing 22 June 2020 published.

12. 12 June 2020

    Update for week commencing 15 June 2020 published.

13. 5 June 2020

    Update for week commencing 8 June 2020 published.

14. 29 May 2020

    Update for w/c 1 June 2020 published.

15. 22 May 2020

    Update for w/c 25 May 2020 added.

16. 15 May 2020

    Update for w/c 18 May 2020 added.

17. 7 May 2020

    Updaye for w/c 11 May added.

18. 1 May 2020

    Updated for week commencing 4 May 2020 added.

19. 24 April 2020

    Added translation