Guidance

HMCTS weekly operational summary

A weekly summary of the latest HM Courts and Tribunals Service operational position for users. We aim to update this every Friday at 4pm.

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published
21 May 2021
Last updated
2027 May 2022 — See all updates

We email our weekly operational update to our subscribers on Sunday evenings, and share on social media on Monday mornings. Follow us on Twitter to check for daily or urgent updates.

HMCTS operational summary for week commencing Monday 2330 May 2022

Next week’s update will be issued on FridayWednesday 271 MayJune 2022.

  • Updated: New measures to protect victims of domestic abuse from being cross-examined by alleged perpetrators, and vice versa, will come into force soon in civil and family courts. Legal practitioners with family and civil court cross-examination expertise and vulnerable witness or advocacy training may be appointed directly by the court in place of a prohibited party. For more information or to register, please email: QLRCross-Exam@justice.gov.uk.
  • Updated: We announced that a new tribunals centre will open in London by the end of 2023.
  • Updated: Courts and tribunals will be closed between Thursday 2 June and Saturday 4 June 2022. Remand courts will remain open during this period. Please check find a court or tribunal before travelling.
  • Updated: Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres will be closed between Thursday 2 June and Saturday 4 June 2022. There will be limited service on these days for crime-related queries available between 8am and 2pm. Services will re-open as usual on Monday 6 June 2022.
  • Updated: The pilot on extended our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres opertaing hours will end on Saturday 28 May 2022. From Monday 30 May 2022 both divorce and probate contact hours will revert to 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday), and services will be closed to the public on Saturdays. This includes calls and webchat.
  • Reminder: We’ve launched a new Reporters’ Charter to outline the rights and responsibilities of court reporters and to boost transparency in the justice system.

Crime

  • Updated:Reminder: Before a defence professional attends court for a Common Platform hearing, they will need to complete their account and security set up. This includes setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app on a registered mobile phone.
  • Reminder: Section 28 measures have been rolled out to a further 14 locations to support more victims of rape and sexual offences with the stress of being cross-examined in court.
  • Reminder: To find case details on Common Platform, defence professionals will need the case unique reference number and the first name, last name and date of birth of all defendants. The case reference number can be obtained from the charge sheet, public court list or by contacting our service centre by email: ProfessionalContactCrime@justice.gov.uk or call 0330 808 4407.
  • Reminder: For help and support in using Common Platform, defence professionals should speak to their organisation’s administrator or contact our helpdesk. Telephone 0300 303 0688, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (excluding bank holidays), or email CJSCP-DefenceServiceDesk@hmcts.net.
  • Reminder: We published step-by-step guidance for defence professionals on how to use Common Platform, and guidance for organisational administrators at legal firms and chambers on creating user accounts, assigning roles, and other system tasks.
  • Reminder: Defence solicitors and barristers attending court for a Common Platform hearing should use the professional check-in feature, in both the Crown and magistrates’ courts.
  • Reminder: If you have a Common Platform account, you need to login at least once every 90 days to keep it active. If your account is inactive for 90 days, it will be deregistered for security reasons. If you are deregistered, ask your organisation administrator to re-register you.

Civil

  • Updated: On Thursday 2 June 2022, the Civil Procedure Rules will be updated to state that solicitors responding to claims for damages issued through the Damages Claims Portal (DCP) must respond using DCP. This covers all claims that fall under Practice Direction 51ZB. Sign up to MyHMCTS and watch our video for more information on how to issue and respond to a claim online.

Family

Judicial guidance and announcements

Previous editions

Published 21 May 2021
Last updated 2027 May 2022 + show all updates

  1. Update for week commencing Monday 30 May 2022 published.

  2. Update for week commencing Monday 23 May 2022 published.

  3. Added translation

  4. Update for week commencing Monday 16 May 2022 published.

  5. Update for week commencing Monday 9 May 2022 published.

  6. Update for week commencing Monday 2 May 2022.

  7. Added translation

  8. Update for week commencing Monday 25 April 2022 published.

  9. Added translation

  10. Update for week commencing Monday 18 April 2022 published.

  11. Update for week commencing Monday 11 April 2022 published.

  12. Added translation

  13. Update for week commencing Monday 4 April 2022 published.

  14. Added translation

  15. Update for week commencing Monday 28 March 2022 published.

  16. Added translation

  17. Update on Common Platform added.

  18. Update for week commencing Monday 21 March 2022 published.

  19. Added translation

  20. Update for week commencing Monday 14 March 2022 published.

  21. Added translation

  22. Added translation

  23. Update for week commencing Monday 7 March 2022 published.

  24. Added translation

  25. Update for week commencing Monday 28 February 2022 published.

  26. Added translation

  27. Update for week commencing Monday 21 February 2022 published.

  28. Added translation

  29. Update for week commencing Monday 14 February 2022 published.

  30. Added translation

  31. Update for week commencing Monday 7 February 2022 published.

  32. Update for week commencing Monday 31 January 2022 published.

  33. Added translation

  34. Update for week commencing Monday 24 January 2022 published.

  35. Added translation

  36. Update for week commencing Monday 17 January 2022 published.

  37. Update for week commencing Monday 10 January 2022 published.

  38. Added translation

  39. Update for week commencing Monday 3 January 2022 published.

  40. Update for week commencing Monday 20 December 2021 published.

  41. Added translation

  42. Update for week commencing Monday 13 December 2021 published.

  43. Update for week commencing Monday 6 December 2021 published.

  44. Added translation

  45. Update for week commencing Monday 29 November published.

  46. Added translation

  47. Update for week commencing Monday 22 November 2021 published.

  48. Added translation

  49. Update for week commencing Monday 15 November published.

  50. Page updated with changes to HMCTS operations for week commencing 8 Nov 2021.

  51. Update for week commencing Monday 1 November 2021 published.

  52. Added translation

  53. Update for week commencing Monday 25 October published.

  54. Update for week commencing Monday 18 October 2021 published.

  55. Added translation

  56. Update for week commencing Monday 11 October 2021 published.

  57. Update for week commencing Monday 4 October 2021 published.

  58. Added translation

  59. Update for week commencing Monday 27 September published.

  60. Added translation

  61. Update for week commencing Monday 20 September 2021 published.

  62. Added translation

  63. Update for week commencing Monday 13 September published.

  64. Update for week commencing Monday 6 September 2021 published.

  65. Added translation

  66. Update for week commencing Monday 30 August 2021 published.

  67. Added translation

  68. Updated for week commencing Monday 23 August 2021.

  69. Welsh translation added.

  70. Update for week commencing Monday 16 August 2021 published.

  71. Added translation

  72. Update for week commencing Monday 9 August 2021 published.

  73. Added translation

  74. Update for week commencing Monday 2 August 2021 published.

  75. Added translation

  76. Update for week commencing Monday 26 July 2021 published.

  77. Added translation

  78. Updated COVID guidance pages added.

  79. Update for week commencing Monday 19 July 2021 published.

  80. Added translation

  81. Update for week commencing Monday 12 July published.

  82. Added translation

  83. Update for week commencing Monday 5 July 2021.

  84. Added translation

  85. Update for week commencing Monday 28 June 2021 published.

  86. Added translation

  87. Update for week commencing Monday 21 June 2021 published.

  88. Added translation

  89. Update for week commencing Monday 14 June 2021 published.

  90. Added translation

  91. Update for week commencing Monday 7 June 2021 published.

  92. Update for week commencing Monday 31 May 2021 published.

  93. Added translation

  94. Added line on operational status of courts in areas where COVID19 variant is spreading.

  95. First published.

Contents