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.
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 25 January 2021
Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 29 January 2021.
- Updated: We held a webinar for legal professionals to provide information on the arrangements in place at courts and tribunals to meet the Government’s COVID-secure requirements and Public Health guidelines. We have published a recording of the webinar and will soon publish written responses to all the questions submitted.
- Updated: We published a blog to outline the steps we are all taking to keep custody suites in court safe for all who use them, as well as the additional measures in place when producing defendants to a court hearing from a prison.
- If you live in an area where rapid (lateral flow device) COVID tests are being offered, we encourage you to get a test to support community efforts to help stop the spread of the virus. You can check with your local authority if tests are available in your area. If you choose to have a test and test positive, do not come to a court or tribunal building; contact the court or tribunal to let them know; follow NHS advice.
- Read our guidance on attending hearings during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Our Acting CEO, Kevin Sadler, has posted a blog on working together in the safest way possible way to keep justice going for every complainant, victim, witness and defendant during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The justice system remains open as an essential public service. Courts and tribunals continue to operate within the national restrictions in England, alert levels in Wales and protection levels in Scotland.
- All those essential to keeping the justice system running are considered critical workers. This applies to all those who work in courts and tribunals, as well as jurors and public court users, who are permitted to attend their place of work when necessary, to travel, to stay overnight in accommodation. Critical workers can access school places for children.
- Reminder: We review and update our COVID risk assessments each week and apply any changes needed. You can ask for a copy from your local court. If you have any questions about how the risk assessment meets government guidance or how it’s being followed, you can raise your concerns following our escalation process.
- Reminder: Court and tribunal users must continue to wear a face covering in all public and communal parts of our buildings. This includes robing rooms. This is in line with Government advice on face coverings (England), Face coverings: guidance for public (Wales) and COVID-19 stage 3: staying safe and protecting others (Scotland).
Crime
- Updated: New week, we will be opening a Nightingale Court in Cirencester, which will provide 2 extra courtrooms for non-jury trial Crown Court work.
- Updated: Magistrates’ courts are facilitating the remote attendance of those involved in proceedings where the court has directed, and is able to facilitate, this. The safe operation of courts remains paramount so listing volumes are being adjusted to reduce the number of people coming to court, in line with the Lord Chief Justice’s recent statement. Updated guidance has been issued to those still required to attend in person.
- We’ve installed plexiglass screens into over 450 courtrooms and jury deliberation rooms. More than 290 courtrooms have been assessed as being capable and available to hold jury trials, in addition to over 120 courtrooms for non-jury trial work across 79 Crown Court sites.
- 79 Crown Courts have resumed jury trials, as well as 6 other existing court venues and 6 Nightingale Courts sites who have started to hold jury trials.
- The Crown Court is hearing all types of applications and cases, including multi-hander trials. Where appropriate, judges continue to deal with a range of work remotely, including sentencing hearings.
- The judiciary has published a note of listing in magistrates’ courts during coronavirus outbreak.
Family
- Family courts continue to prioritise work as agreed with the President of the Family Division. Work levels are slowly returning to pre-COVID levels and we are working hard to return this to 100%, in a COVID-safe way.
Civil
- Civil court listing priorities. .
Tribunals
- The Judiciary have published various updates, user help guides and frequently asked questions documents on their website.
Royal Courts of Justice
- The Royal Courts of Justice operational update: .
- The High Court is covering work according to the High Court Contingency Plan.
- More detailed guidance for the Administrative Court Office.
- The Court of Appeal Civil Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities. .
- The Court of Appeal Criminal Division is covering work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Emergency Plan. .
- The Senior Costs Judge has published a note on hearings and detailed assessments in the Senior Courts Costs Office .
Judicial announcements
Previous editions
- Week commencing Monday 18 January 2021
- Week commencing Monday 11 January 2021
- Week commencing Monday 4 January 2021
- Week commencing Monday 28 December 2020
- Week commencing Monday 21 December 2020
- Week commencing Monday 14 December 2020
- Week commencing Monday 7 December 2020
- Week commencing Monday 30 November 2020
- Week commencing Monday 23 November 2020
- Week commencing Monday 16 November 2020
- Week commencing Monday 9 November 2020
- Week commencing Monday 2 November 2020
- Week commencing Monday 26 October 2020
- Week commencing Monday 19 October 2020
- Week commencing Monday 12 October 2020
- Week commencing Monday 5 October 2020
- Week commencing Monday 28 September 2020
- Week commencing Monday 21 September 2020
- Week commencing Monday 14 September 2020
- Week commencing Monday 7 September 2020
- Week commencing Monday 31 August 2020
- Week commencing Monday 24 August 2020
- Week commencing Monday 17 August 2020
- Week commencing Monday 10 August 2020
- Week commencing Monday 3 August 2020
- 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
Last updated 22 January 2021 + show all updates
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Update for week commencing Monday 25 January 2021.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing Monday 18 January published.
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Added translation
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Added line on rapid lateral flow testing.
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Update for week commencing Monday 11 January published.
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Added translation
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Edited opening paragraphs following the Prime Minister's latest national lockdown announcement.
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Update for week commencing Monday 4 January 2021 published.
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Added translation
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Updated for week commencing Monday 28 December 2020 published.
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Added translation
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Updated local restriction tier info
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Update for week commencing Monday 21 December 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 14 December 2020 published.
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Added translation
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COVID Operating Hours consultation closing date updated.
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Update for week commencing Monday 7 December 2020 published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing Monday 30 November published.
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Added translation
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Updates added for Queen’s Bench Masters Listing and Action Department Information for Court Users and Section 28 press release.
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Update for week commencing 23 November 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 16 November 2020 published.
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Weekly ops update for 9 Nov 2020 added.
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Added translation
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National restrictions in England announcements added.
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Update for week commencing Monday 2 November 2020 published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing 26 October published.
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Adding link to Welsh Government national fire-break
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Update for week commencing 19 October 2020 published.
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Update to local COVID alert level changes 15 Oct 2020 added.
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Link to local COVID Alert Levels guidance in England added.
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Added translation
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Updated RCJ Administrative Court guidance added.
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Update for week commencing Monday 12 October published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing Monday 5 October published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing Monday 28 September 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 21 September 2020 published.
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North East local restrictions infomation added.
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Update for week commencing 14 September 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 7 September 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 31 August 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 24 August published. Rule changes regarding Writs of Possession have been made and are effective from today.
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Added translation
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Page update with new weekly opertional summary.
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Update for week commencing 17 August 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 10 August 2020 published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing Monday 3 August 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 27 July 2020 published.
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Updated to include annoucement from the Lord Chancellor on locations for 10 ‘Nightingale Courts’.
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Updated for week commencing 20 July 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 13 July 2020 published.
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Added translation
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Update for week commencing 6 July 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing Monday 29 June 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 22 June 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 15 June 2020 published.
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Update for week commencing 8 June 2020 published.
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Update for w/c 1 June 2020 published.
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Update for w/c 25 May 2020 added.
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Update for w/c 18 May 2020 added.
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Updaye for w/c 11 May added.
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Updated for week commencing 4 May 2020 added.
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Added translation