Guidance

HM Courts and Tribunals Service engagement groups

Professional and public user groups working with us on aspects of the HMCTS Reform Programme, including collaboration on new development proposals.

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published
4 October 2018
Last updated
118 MarchOctober 20232022 — See all updates

We’re modernising our courts and tribunals system to make it more straightforward, accessible and efficient for all. It’s an ambitious programme designed to improve the system for both those who use it and for those working within it.

We host a number of engagement forums to make sure we’re collaborating with professional and public user groups on proposals, developments and services within the reform programme, to better understand their needs. This work has helped to shape the future landscape of the courts and tribunals services to achieve the best possible outcomes for all.

Criminal Justice Engagement Groups

The reform programme is changing the way that criminal cases are dealt with in court. At the same time, other agencies in the criminal justice system – such as the police and prison and probation services – are also changing the ways that they work. Criminal Justice Engagement Groups bring together those agencies so we can coordinate our plans for improvement.

HMCTS and representatives of the legal profession also contribute to the judicial-led Crown Court Improvement Group, chaired by the Senior Presiding Judge, to improve the performance of the Crown Court in England and Wales. Representatives from across the criminal justice system, including the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Prison and Probation Service, the Legal Aid Agency meet monthly and report directly to the Lord Chief Justice.

Local Criminal Justice Boards bring together criminal justice organisations across England and Wales, and are often chaired by local police and crime commissioners or chief constables. HMCTS is represented at these meetings through regional heads of crime who contribute to discussions and policing decisions involving criminal courts within each police force area.

Forum Remit Membership
Crime programme board
Schedule of meetings: monthly		 Oversees and manages the roadmap and implementation for Crime Reform, reviewing milestones and providing programme governance. The group reviews assurance documentation and is the arbiter of readiness to go ahead with programme initiatives. HMCTS senior managers, Crime Programme senior leaders, Judiciary, Judicial Office, Crown Prosecution Service, HMPPS, Legal Aid Agency, Police, Home Office  
Digital Practitioners’ Working Group
Chair: Business Product Owner – CJS Common Platform, HMCTS Reform Crime Programme
Schedule of meetings: monthly		 To provide feedback on the design of Common Platform features that impact on defence users. It provides a mechanism for defence practitioners to feedback on products and services, as they’re being designed, built and tested prior to live use. The group discusses digital issues and showcases the latest functionality that’s been developed for Common Platform. Representation invited from: HMCTS, Bar Council, Law Society, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, Criminal Bar Association, Institute of Barristers’ Clerks, Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, Legal Aid Agency, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, Legal Aid Practitioner Group, Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Crown Prosecution Service, Youth Justice Board.  
Common Platform Local Implementation Groups (LITs)
Schedule of meetings varies according to proximity to go-live date		 To engage with local courts, judiciary, partner agencies, police and stakeholders (including defence solicitors) in the lead-up to a set of courts going live with Common Platform. The LIT representatives confirm readiness for go-live and share news with their colleagues in the area, as well as bringing their feedback to HMCTS. Police, Prison Service, National Probation Service, PECs, Judicial Office, Magistrates Digital Lead, Legal Aid Agency, Home Office, Public Defender Service, Crown Prosecution Service, CTSC, Crime Communication Lead, Common Platform Programme Team  

Legal Professional Engagement Groups

We undertake regular engagement with legal professional bodies such as the Bar Council, the Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives at both Chief Executive and policy levels. We also work collaboratively with these bodies to make sure practitioners’ views are considered in the development of proposals and design of reformed services.

Each jurisdiction also hosts ad-hoc forums involving legal professionals to present engagement activity on specific issues and projects, based on jurisdictional project timetables and key areas of interest for the profession.

Forum Remit Membership
Legal professionals’ court recovery update
Chair: Development Director, HMCTS
Schedule of meetings: monthly.		 To update and engage on recovery plans from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and current activity, across all jurisdictions, with input from the legal profession to inform and challenge decision-making. HMCTS, Bar Council, Law Society, Support through court, 7br Barristers chambers.
Strategic Engagement Group
Chair: Head of Corporate Relations, HMCTS
Schedule of meetings: every 8 weeks.		 Aims to have a strategic overview of engagement activities as well as planning activity to engage effectively across the programme. This is a steering group comprising HMCTS jurisdictional leads and policy leads from key legal representative organisations. HMCTS, The Bar Council, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, the Law Society.

Public User Engagement Groups

We regularly engage representatives of public users by bringing together HMCTS staff and people who use our services through a range of forums and groups. These focus on victims, witnesses, young people, equality and inclusion, litigants in person and defendants among others. others.

ForumRemitMembership
Change We’reVictim currentlyand reviewingWitness Engagement Group
Chair: Deputy Director Customer Change and relaunchingInnovation, ourHMCTS.
Schedule approachof tomeetings: thisquarterly.		Provides engagement. feedback Ouron newthe modeldesign willand comprisedevelopment of areformed Strategicprocedures Groupand practices which have an impact on victims and thenwitnesses. 4The jurisdictionalgroup focusedhelps groups.to Weensure willthat beproposals launchingmeet thesethe groupsneeds overof Victims and Witnesses and improves on the coursecurrent service. It also represents a range of victims and witnesses and ensures the year,needs beginningof this community are represented in April.the  Ifdevelopment you’reof partHMCTS.HMCTS, Ministry of aJustice, organisationCrown Prosecution Service, National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Survivors Trust, Witness Service, Brake, Rape Crisis, Women’s Aid, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Victims’ Commissioner’s Office, Victim Support.
Defendant Voice Engagement
Chair: Customer Director, HMCTS.
Schedule of meetings: quarterly.		Looks at the potential impact that supportsCriminal HMCTSCourt usersReform proposals may have an impact on defendants. It helps to understand the insights and wouldideas likeof defendants and ensure that their voice is heard within reformed services.HMCTS, Ministry of Justice, HM Prisons and Probation Service, Hibiscus Initiatives, Revolving Doors, KeyRing, JUSTICE, Unlock, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Together UK, Prison Reform Trust, Centre for Justice Innovation, User Voice
Equalities and Inclusion Engagement Group
Chair: Customer Director, HMCTS.
Schedule of meetings: quarterly.		Captures participants’ insights and ideas to beensure partHMCTS integrates equality principles into all reformed services, promoting a service that is inclusive, user focussed, and does not discriminate against the vulnerable or disadvantaged.HMCTS, Good Things Foundation, Royal National Institute of Blind People, Revolving Doors, Citizens Advice, Barnardo’s, AGE UK, Faiths Forum for London, Judicial Representative, Support Through Court, Personal Support Units, Maternity Action, Disability Rights UK, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Public Law Project, Mind, RNID, Fawcett Society, Race Equality Foundation.
Litigants in Person Engagement Group
Chair: co-chaired by Deputy Director (User Experience & Insight – HMCTS and a member of the judiciary.
Schedule of meetings: every 2 months.		Provides feedback on the design and development of reformed procedures and practices that have an engagementimpact on Litigants in Person. The group pleasebrings contacta usunique onperspective publicengagement@justice.gov.uk.

to the process, involving those who help Litigants in Persons to navigate the justice system.		Judicial Representative, HMCTS, AdviceUK, Support Through Court, Law for Life (including Advice Now), Legal Education Foundation, Money Advice Trust, The Litigant in Person Network, the Chartered Institute for Legal Executives, Judicial Office, the Litigants in Person Support Strategy and Access to Justice Foundation.

Media Engagement Groups

The group brings together representatives of the media and HMCTS policy and operational representatives to discuss issues around media access to our sites and hearings.

It supports HMCTS in updating its staff guidance to promote media access to courts and tribunals.

Forum Remit Membership
Media Working Group
Chair: Director of Communications, HMCTS
Schedule of meetings: bi-annually or as requested by the group		 Supports ongoing engagement between representatives of the media and HMCTS, to discuss media access to courts and tribunals and providing information to the media. HMCTS, Ministry of Justice, Judicial Office, Evening Standard, BBC, ITN, News Media Association, Society of Editors, National Union of Journalists, National Council for Training Journalists, JPI Media, The Guardian, Crime Reporters Association, Newsquest Media Group, Press Association, RADAR.

For further information on any of these groups, contact: HMCTS.Communications@justice.gov.ukchangesomethingthatmatters@justice.gov.uk.

Published 4 October 2018
Last updated 118 MarchOctober 20232022 + show all updates

  1. Updated information about public user engagement groups.

  2. Updated information about our engagement groups.

  3. Updated contact email address

  4. Added translation

  5. Added translation

  6. Crown Court working group removed as it has now been dissolved.

  7. Information on Media Working Group updated.

  8. COVID-19 engagement groups updated.

  9. New stakeholder group: Engagement during COVID-19.

  10. Added translation

  11. Media working group added.

  12. First published.

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