Common Platform is the case management system being implemented in our criminal courts. It’s at the heart of our large-scale plans to reform the justice system.
Lisa Shotton, HMCTS Head of Crime (north east), shares the details and benefits of a fully remote court.
Eve Miller discusses how we make sure our services are accessible for everyone and shares the feedback recently provided by a juror.
More convenient, simpler and less-resource heavy – the Single Justice Procedure (SJP) has many advantages for defendants who wish to plead guilty to minor offences and those processing their case. But some have criticised the process. Here Sian Jones, HMCTS Head of Legal and Professional Services, addresses some common misconceptions.
535,000 cases were heard by magistrates via the Single Justice Procedure (SJP) in 2020. It's an accessible, proportionate, effective and more efficient way – for both the defendant and the courts – to hear less serious cases that will not …
The Manchester super courtroom – which opened its doors at the Crown Court last month – got underway with its first large trial last week, as HMCTS passed another significant milestone in recovering our ability to hear ‘multi-hander’ trials.
Fitting together all the pieces when hearing a murder trial is always challenging for the Crown Court. Add in multiple defendants and the impact of essential safety measures, and the picture becomes even more complicated. Laura Connor outlines helped hear a complex trial in this blog.
Jasmine Norton highlights how HMCTS prepared for the implementation of new orders being piloted in London from July 2021 and looks at the context of the work within a wider policy perspective.
Witnesses may face difficulty when required to present evidence at trial. After a successful pilot of special measures to protect vulnerable witnesses, HMCTS is rolling out section 28 across England and Wales to allow witnesses to pre-record their cross examination and preserve the course of justice.
At Hendon Magistrates’ Court, in the London Borough of Barnet, available space is providing vital extra support to nearby Wood Green Crown Court. The building has been transformed to host jury trials for the first time which, given the numbers of people involved, requires a larger space.
