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.

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 2027 June 2022

Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 241 JuneJuly 2022.

  • Updated: FromBarristers, 22solicitors June,and criminalCILEX defencepractitioners representativeswith shouldcross-examination includeexpertise theand wordsvulnerable “BARwitness ACTION”and inadvocacy thetraining subjectare lineinvited of any email to theregister for court aboutappointed affectedcross-examination cases,work soin wefamily canand makecivil theproceedings. relevantNew judgeDomestic awareAbuse asAct quickly2021 asmeasures possible.
  • Updated:will We’veprohibit reviewedalleged ourperpetrators business continuity plans in the context of proposeddomestic railabuse strikes, and willtheir activatevictims themfrom ifcross-examining theyeach goother, ahead.with This includes facilitating remote hearings, where the judgecourt decidesappointing thislegal canpractitioners be done in theplace interests of justice.the Theprohibited formatparties. ofFor ainformation hearing remains a judicial decision that is made on arequirements case-by-caseand basis.how Parties should speak to localregister, courtplease staff about specific requirements or cases.contact: QLRCross-Exam@justice.gov.uk.
  • Updated:Reminder: If you’re a professional user, you can raise any concerns about our court or tribunal buildings directly with local staff in the building, who are best able to help resolve these issues. You can also let us know about an issue centrally via GOV.UK, and we’ll direct your concern to the right local team. If you need to escalate any issue, you can do so through your regional support unit (contact details available locally) or professional representative organisation. If you feel your issue has not been resolved, you can also make a complaint at any time.

Crime

  • Updated: The HMCTS Crime Programme Board and senior judiciary have given their approval for Common Platform to be implemented at more criminal courts across England and Wales. Common Platform will be introduced to the following 29 court sites between the beginning of July and the end of August (the below dates may be subject to change):
    • Week commencing Monday 4 July 2022 - Nottinghamshire: Nottingham Crown Court, Nottingham Magistrates’ Court, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court
    • Week commencing Monday 11 July 2022 - Wiltshire: Swindon Crown Court, Swindon Magistrates’ Court, Salisbury Crown Court, Salisbury Magistrates’ Court
    • Week commencing Monday 18 July 2022 - South Wales & Gwent: Cardiff Crown, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court, Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court, Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court, Swansea Magistrates’ Court, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Newport Crown, Newport Magistrates’ Court, Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court
    • Week commencing Monday 18 July 2022 - Greater Manchester: Manchester Crown Court (Minshull Street), Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square), Manchester Magistrates’ Court, Tameside Magistrates’ Court, Stockport Magistrates’ Court, Bolton Crown Court (co-located with Magistrates), Bolton Magistrates’ Court, Wigan & Leigh Magistrates’ Court
    • Week commencing Monday 1 August 2022 - North Yorkshire: York Crown Court, Harrogate Magistrates’ Court, Scarborough Justice Centre, Skipton Magistrates’ Court, York Magistrates’ Court
  • Reminder: From Wednesday 22 June 2022, criminal defence representatives should include the words “BAR ACTION” in the subject line of any email to the court about affected cases, so we can make the relevant judge aware as quickly as possible.
  • Reminder: Victims and witnesses of crimes such as rape and modern slavery can now have their cross-examination pre-recorded and played back later during the trial in 11 additional Crown Courts.
  • Reminder: Defence professionals can find step-by-step guidance on how to use Common Platform. There is also guidance for organisational administrators at legal firms and chambers on creating user accounts, assigning roles, and other system tasks.

Civil

  • Reminder: A recording of our recent webinar on the Video Hearings service is now available to view.
  • Reminder: The planned update to the Civil Procedure Rules, stating that responses to claims made under Practice Direction 51ZB should be made using the Damages Claims Portal, has been delayed. We will announce a new date in due course.

Judicial guidance and announcements

Previous editions

Published 21 May 2021
Last updated 2224 June 2022 + show all updates
  1. Update for week commencing Monday 27 June 2022 published.

  2. Operational update on bar action added.

  3. Update for week commencing Monday 20 June 2022 published.

  4. Update for week commencing Monday 13 June 2022.

  5. Update for week commencing Monday 6 June 2022 published.

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

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

  8. Added translation

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

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

  11. Update for week commencing Monday 2 May 2022.

  12. Added translation

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

  14. Added translation

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

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

  17. Added translation

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

  19. Added translation

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

  21. Added translation

  22. Update on Common Platform added.

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

  24. Added translation

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

  26. Added translation

  27. Added translation

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

  29. Added translation

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

  31. Added translation

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

  33. Added translation

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

  35. Added translation

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

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

  38. Added translation

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

  40. Added translation

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

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

  43. Added translation

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

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

  46. Added translation

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

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

  49. Added translation

  50. Update for week commencing Monday 29 November published.

  51. Added translation

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

  53. Added translation

  54. Update for week commencing Monday 15 November published.

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

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

  57. Added translation

  58. Update for week commencing Monday 25 October published.

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

  60. Added translation

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

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

  63. Added translation

  64. Update for week commencing Monday 27 September published.

  65. Added translation

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

  67. Added translation

  68. Update for week commencing Monday 13 September published.

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

  70. Added translation

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

  72. Added translation

  73. Updated for week commencing Monday 23 August 2021.

  74. Welsh translation added.

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

  76. Added translation

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

  78. Added translation

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

  80. Added translation

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

  82. Added translation

  83. Updated COVID guidance pages added.

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

  85. Added translation

  86. Update for week commencing Monday 12 July published.

  87. Added translation

  88. Update for week commencing Monday 5 July 2021.

  89. Added translation

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

  91. Added translation

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

  93. Added translation

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

  95. Added translation

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

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

  98. Added translation

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

  100. First published.