This follows Ministry of Justice action to consolidate courts and tribunals into fewer buildings to make best use of resources and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The interactive heat map will be updated as more data becomes available.
Simon Davis, President of the
Law Society said: ‘This tool illustrates which courts and tribunals buildings
continue to be operational.
‘Where appropriate steps are
taken to ensure good hygiene, appropriate distancing, and compliance with all
other relevant guidance to minimise risk, they should be safe to attend.’
There are 160 court buildings
open to the public for essential face-to-face hearings. A further 116 staffed
courts are open to justice system employees and judges but not to the public,
with parties involved in hearings accessing proceedings remotely via video or
telephone. 75 courts have been closed temporarily.
Davis said: ‘The question will
inevitably arise to what extent we can, or even should, return wholesale to
previous ways of working once this crisis subsides.
‘The reality is that such a
profound shift will likely alter permanently how we uphold justice and the rule
of law. Therefore we must monitor carefully which of the technological
solutions are sustainable for the long-term, to ensure that increases in efficiencies
do not inadvertently come at the expense of justice being not only done but
seen to be done.
‘Courts must be able to
re-open once this crisis abates. We must be wary to avoid any risk of
significant and permanent damage to the public’s ability to access to justice.’
In addition to the heat map,
practitioners can look at HM Courts and Tribunals tracker list for the latest
information on which courts are open, staffed and suspended. Find it at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/courts-and-tribunals-tracker-list-during-coronavirus-outbreak.
For contact details and
information about courts and tribunals in your area, go to: https://www.gov.uk/find-court-tribunal.
For advice and guidance for
court and tribunal users during the pandemic, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-courts-and-tribunals-planning-and-preparation.
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