They will hear civil, family and tribunals work and non-custodial crime cases to free up room in existing courts for jury trials and more serious criminal cases where cells and secure dock facilities are required.
The sites include Swansea Council Chambers, the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) headquarters at Petty France near London’s Victoria Station and the medieval Knights’ Chamber by Peterborough Cathedral. Civil and family hearings were due to begin this week at one of the courts, at East Pallant House, Chichester. The MoJ is scouting for potential sites for additional Nightingale courts to add to the ten.
The Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland said: ‘They will help boost capacity across our courts and tribunals―reducing delays and delivering speedier justice for victims.’
Law Society of England and Wales president Simon Davis welcomed the government’s plans to open the ten Nightingale courts.
‘After years of underfunding and cuts, there were already significant backlogs across the civil and criminal justice systems. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – with the number of outstanding cases standing at over 524,000 late last month.
‘We believe the government can build court capacity to clear the backlog by using unused public buildings – including court buildings which have been closed but have remained unsold – as Nightingale courts. Investing in legal aid for early advice and legal representation would help to nip problems in the bud before they escalate and ensure judicial time is used as efficiently as possible in cases which do go to court.
‘Before looking at extended hours, the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service must ensure that it is making maximum use of normal court hours and the existing court estate, quickly take up further building space and avoid any restrictions on judges sitting while there are court rooms (real, virtual or Nightingale) available.’
According to MoJ figures in June, there is a backlog of about 41,000 Crown court cases and more than 480,000 magistrates’ court cases.
A further six courts were cleared as safe to resume jury trials last week, bringing the total number to 54 out of a potential 77. They are: Exeter Law Courts, Grimsby Combined Court Centre, Truro Combined Court and Ipswich, Plymouth and York Crown courts.
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