HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has updated its operational summary on court and tribunal operations during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The summary for the week commencing (w/c) 5 April 2021 notes the opening of a Nightingale Court in Chichester.
Lexis®Library update: Next week’s announcement will be issued on the HCMTS website on Friday 9 April 2021.
All courts and tribunals
New announcements
- a new Nightingale court will open in Chichester, providing two courtrooms for Crown Court work
Maintained announcements
The summary for the w/c 5 April 2021 retains from previous summaries that:
- professional users providing legal consultation in custody suites will be supplied with Fluid Resistant Surgical Masks upon entry
- on-site rapid testing will be offered to court users attending scheduled hearings at Leeds Combined Court, Leicester Crown Court, Reading Crown Court, Southwark Crown Court, Manchester Civil Justice Centre and Winchester Combined Court
- home testing kits trials for court users are available for collection on-site at Birmingham Crown Court, Croydon Combined Court, Liverpool Combined Court, Snaresbrook Crown Court and Wolverhampton Combined Court
- the court and tribunal finder service should be checked before travelling to any court or tribunal building
- jurors are required to wear fluid resistant surgical masks in smaller deliberation rooms, which are provided by the court. HMCTS has amended its organisational risk assessment accordingly
- a copy of the HMCTS weekly review and updates to coronavirus risk assessments can be requested from a local court
- guidance on wearing face coverings in court has been published for England, Wales and Scotland
- the Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ) operational update remains the same
- detail has been added to the Administrative Court Office guidance
- the Senior Costs Judge has published a Senior Courts Costs Office update
- the RCJ fees office is open to the public between 10 am and 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (see: LNB News 27/11/2020 57)
- the RCJ Fees Office Information for Court Users has been updated
- the High Court continues to work according to the High Court Contingency Plan
- the Queen’s Bench Masters Listing and Action Department Information for Court Users and Queens Bench Division Information for Court Users have been updated
- the Judicial Office has published a message from the Lord Chief Justice on recovery within the courts
- the Judicial Office has published important advice and guidance, including user help guides
Criminal courts
New announcements
- there are no new announcements in the summary
Maintained announcements
The summary for the w/c 5 April 2021 retains from previous summaries that:
- the Crown Court is dealing with a range of work remotely when possible and are hearing all types of applications and cases, including multi-hander trials
- following the Lord Chief Justice’s message on recovery, court lists in magistrates’ courts will be adjusted for those involved in proceedings to attend in person where the court has directed this
- the Common Platform digital case management system is set to go live by the end of April 2021 in selected courts in the Midlands, Wales, the North-West, the North-East and South-West. Defence solicitors and barristers operating in these courts are advised to register ‘Common Platform’ accounts
- the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has published a note of listing in magistrates’ courts during the coronavirus outbreak
- the Court of Appeal Criminal Division continues to cover work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Criminal Emergency Plan
Civil courts
New announcements
- there are no new announcements in the summary
Maintained announcements
The summary for the w/c 5 April 2021 retains from previous summaries that:
- the civil court listing priorities for County Courts remain in force
- Court of Appeal Civil Division continues to cover work according to the RCJ Court of Appeal Civil urgent business priorities
Family courts
New announcements
- there are no new announcements in the summary
Maintained announcements
The summary for the w/c 5 April 2021 retains from previous summaries that:
- the family court business priorities remain the same
Tribunals
New announcements
- since 31 March 2021 the HMCTS Immigration and Asylum digital service enables legal professionals to submit an appeal where the appellant is outside of the UK
Maintained announcements
The summary for the w/c 5 April 2021 retains from previous summaries that:
- the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has published various updates, user help guides and frequently asked questions documents
Previous weekly summaries
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—HMCTS publishes updated operational summary for week commencing 29 March 2021, LNB News 29/03/2021 22
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—HMCTS publishes updated operational summary for week commencing 22 March 2021, LNB News 22/03/2021 30
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—HMCTS publishes updated operational summary for week commencing 15 March 2021, LNB News 15/03/2021 47
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—HMCTS publishes updated operational summary for week commencing 8 March 2021, LNB News 08/03/2021 56
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—HMCTS publishes updated operational summary for week commencing 1 March 2021, LNB News 01/03/2021 17
Source: HMCTS weekly operational summary on courts and tribunals during coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
This content was first published by LNB News / Lexis®Library, a LexisNexis® company, on 06/04/2021 and is published with permission. Further information can be found at: www.lexisnexis.co.uk.
