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Faster justice

10 September 2025
Issue: 8130 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , In Court
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County court cases are speeding up, with the median time from claim to hearing 62 weeks for fast, intermediate and multi-track claims—5.4 weeks faster than last year

Small claims times fell 2.4 weeks to 40.6 weeks from claim to hearing. The courts also heard more cases—a 23% rise to 512,000 claims in the same period, April to June 2025.

The figures, revealed last week in the latest ‘Civil justice statistics quarterly’, appear to show problems easing at the beleaguered court, described in July by the Justice Committee as ‘dysfunctional’.

However, Damian Bradley, partner at Express Solicitors, said research undertaken with the Association of Consumer Support Organisations shows claims times are ‘a postcode lottery’, ranging from 82 days in St Helens to more than 800 days in Canterbury and Medway, and 1,004 days in Hastings.

Issue: 8130 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , In Court
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Slater Heelis—Oliver Banks

Manchester firm strengthens Court of Protection expertise with partner hire

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Talbots Law—Sara Pickerin & Nicholas Playford

Agricultural law team expands with senior director appointments

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Kingsley Napley—Claire Green

Firm announces appointment of chief legal officer

NEWS
In this week's NLJ, Sophie Houghton of LexisPSL distils the key lesson from recent costs cases: if you want to exceed guideline hourly rates (GHR), you must prove why
With chronic underfunding and rising demand leaving thousands without legal help, technology could transform access to justice—if handled wisely, writes Professor Sue Prince of the University of Exeter in this week's NLJ
NLJ columnist Stephen Gold dives into the quirks of civil practice, from the Court of Appeal’s fierce defence of form N510 to fresh reminders about compliance and interest claims, in this week's Civil Way
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB) has restated a fundamental truth, writes John Gould, chair of Russell-Cooke, in this week's NLJ: only authorised persons can conduct litigation. The decision sparked alarm, but Gould stresses it merely confirms the Legal Services Act 2007
The government’s decision to make the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the Single Professional Services Supervisor marks a watershed in the UK’s fight against money laundering, says Rebecca Hughes of Corker Binning in this week's NLJ. The FCA will now oversee 60,000 firms across legal and accountancy sectors—a massive expansion of remit that raises questions over resources and readiness 
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