We're pausing court hours pilots to get evaluation and other changes right

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Civil, Court and tribunal reform, Crime, Family, Tribunals

A blog from Susan Acland-Hood on our plans to re-tender for an independent organisation to lead the evaluation work for the flexible operating hours pilot. At the same time, we’ll make more information available and spend more time with legal professionals in each jurisdiction, including those outside the pilot areas, to refine our plans. This will mean the pilots will now begin in February next year.

We're changing for a purpose - and listening too

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Civil, Court and tribunal reform, Crime, Digital services, Family, Tribunals

Susan Acland-Hood reflects on what she has learnt since she started as CEO of HMCTS last November. Susan explains her plans to write a set of blog posts that outline what we need to do, what we’ve done so far, what our plans are, and how to get involved in shaping HMCTS’s reforms for the future. This blog post focuses on her first-hand observations of our courts and tribunals system, its strength and value, but also the deep challenges it faces and the reasons why she believes only radical reform can make it flourish for the future.

CJS Common Platform Programme Defence Awareness Days

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A blog post from Leanne Galbraith Along that provides details of a series of drop-in sessions from September to November 2017 for defence practitioners to find out more about the Common Platform. At the sessions defence practitioners, will find out what the Common Platform is, how it will evolve in the future and how we are building it.

Improvements to victim and witness rooms

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Civil, Crime, Family, User experience and research

A blog post from Liz Olney, Deputy Director for Customer Change and Innovation at HMCTS. Liz shares our recent work to transform our victim and witness rooms. We see over 156,000 individuals coming to court to give evidence each year and rely on evidence provided by victims and witnesses to support the carriage of justice. It’s important we provide the best environment so that individuals can present their cases well.

Making a plea online for traffic offences has got easier

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A blog post from Katie Dean, HMCTS Service Manager for the Make a Plea service for traffic offences, which completed national roll out earlier this year. In this blog post Katie talks about how all members of the public charged with summary-only non-imprisonable motoring offences are given the opportunity to submit their plea online, instead of by post.

How remote working will give users and courts greater flexibility

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Civil, Court and tribunal reform, Crime, Digital services, Family

A blog post from Fiona Rutherford, which discusses the implementation of remote working, specifically virtual hearings. Fiona talks about the opportunities (and responsibility) presented by the ‘once in a generation’ £1 billion investment in our courts and tribunals. This work will re-shape how we enable access to the justice system and how we deliver our reformed public services in the future.

Ensuring our justice system fits the needs of those it serves

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A blog from Susan Acland-Hood, the Chief Executive of HM Courts and Tribunals Service about looking at options to use court and tribunal buildings in a more flexible way, letting people have their cases heard outside the current traditional 10am to 4:30pm court day.

Transforming Civil Justice – an update on the civil money claims procedure

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Civil, Digital services
group of people standing behind desks

A blog post from Clare Galloway, Service Manager for the Civil Money Claims project. Claire provides an update on how we are developing a new digital service for lower value money claims which will provide a simple process for individuals and businesses to resolve disputes. This service will use a mix of technology, conciliation and judicial resolution allowing users to resolve money claim disputes in a simple, accessible and proportionate way.