Hm Courts Tribunals Service
November 2025
Christmas and New Year courts and tribunals opening times 2025
October 2025
New Crown Courtroom officially opens in Hereford
New Rules strengthen media access in criminal courts
April 2025
Courts and tribunals opening times over Easter 2025
January 2025
Crown court comes to college: recycling project inspires legal careers
Boost for local justice in Redditch as new Crown courtroom opens
October 2024
Justice served for West Yorkshire as new courts and tribunals centre opens …
Westminster Magistrates’ Court hosts anti-knife crime event for local Londo…
September 2024
Behind the scenes of the Criminal Justice System in Ipswich
Open Justice for Lewes residents
May 2024
Behind the scenes of the Criminal Justice System in Derby
April 2024
HMCTS appoints new non-executive director
January 2024
HMCTS appoints a new non-executive director
October 2023
Magistrates to be able to record their own verdicts in Single Justice cases
Half a million court cases accepted onto Common Platform
August 2023
HMCTS joins the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network
July 2023
HMCTS communications and engagement survey 2023
June 2023
Have your say on the new proposed Blackpool Court plans
April 2023
Sir Richard Broadbent appointed chair of HMCTS Board
March 2023
HMCTS hosts Annual Public User Event on Reform finale
Data governance panel formed to improve use of court and tribunals data
February 2023
Improvements to Common Platform for defence professionals
Warning on ‘Cestui Que Vie Trust’ car insurance scams
January 2023
Financial remedy applications now fully online for legal professionals
Single justice procedure extended for prosecution of companies
December 2022
HMCTS helping online users with a new national digital support service
November 2022
Merseyrail to manage fines using the Single Justice Procedure
September 2022
Pre-recording of cross examination evidence in Leeds Youth Court
Courts and tribunals arrangements for The Queen's State Funeral
July 2022
New Service Centre opens in Newport
March 2022
New divorce laws will come into force from 6 April 2022
Applications for care and supervision orders for children move online
Fast track entry for professional users available at all court and tribunal…
HMCTS launches Welsh Language scheme consultation
January 2022
New contracts awarded to support vulnerable court and tribunal users
HMCTS presents the 5th Annual Public User Event
December 2021
Evaluation of remote hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic published
November 2021
New Courts and Tribunals Service Centre for Wales
Portsmouth Combined Court lends wall to celebrate local heroes and artists
‘Super courtroom’ opens in Loughborough
New cells at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court mean local cases can be heard wit…
October 2021
New "Nightingale" court opens in Warwick
Schedule released for 5th Annual Public User Event in November
Access to justice improved with HMCTS national digital support service
September 2021
Scammers using HMCTS telephone numbers
Warning about bailiff email scam
New Nightingale court opens in Monument
‘Super courtroom’ opens in Manchester
Divorce applications move online
July 2021
Newcastle Civil, Family and Tribunals Centre officially opens its doors
HMCTS launches 2021 communications and engagement survey
HMCTS opens new Service Centre in Salford Quays
June 2021
Hampshire Police are first to go live with Common Platform and the Single J…
New Approved Enforcement Agency services begin in Wales
March 2021
Common Platform live in more courts in the midlands and north-west England
Nightingale court opens in Bolton stadium
Rapid testing offered at four more court sites
HMCTS telephone numbers used by tax scammers
Five new Nightingale courtrooms open in London, Wolverhampton and Liverpool
Home testing pilots for five court sites
Six new Nightingale courtrooms to open in London and Birmingham
Common Platform goes live in the south-east
February 2021
Changes to the Crown Prosecution Service Case Management System
Solicitors and CPS join professional users’ access scheme
Second rapid testing pilot starts at Southwark Crown Court
More courts to speed up justice
HMCTS telephone numbers being used by tax scammers
New ‘Nightingale court’ opens in Taunton
Exceptional courts and tribunals staff recognised with Palace gongs
Evidence Presentation System to be rolled out to Crown and magistrates' cou…
Common Platform is live in more early adopter criminal courts
January 2021
Rapid testing to be piloted at Manchester court
Two more Nightingale courts open
Reporting COVID-19 incidents to court and tribunal staff and professional c…
Guidance on bailiff and enforcement officer scam
December 2020
Nine more Nightingale courtrooms to be delivered
More than 10,000 consent applications for financial remedy processed on MyH…
Grants of probate applications move to MyHMCTS
Three more courtrooms at Ministry of Justice HQ
November 2020
Section 28 for vulnerable victims and witnesses in Crown Courts
MyHMCTS introduces Multi-Factor Authentication
New digital case management system delivers centralised access to criminal …
COVID-19: HMCTS publishes Civil, Family & Tribunals Recovery Plan
Crown Court Digital Case System: changes to disclosure
October 2020
Nightingale Courts in Liverpool and Winchester open freeing up more rooms f…
Capacity boost for Yorkshire courts
Common Platform system tested in criminal courts
September 2020
Review of HMCTS face-to-face digital support testing published
Eight more Nightingale Courts to deliver justice
Approved Enforcement Agency Services Contracts commences
Magistrates’ court listings now published online
August 2020
Family Public Law Reform: National rollout of digital care and supervision …
Acting CEO of HM Courts and Tribunals appointed
10 ‘Nightingale Courts’ unveiled
July 2020
Evaluation of court and tribunal video hearings process published
More than 100,000 civil money claims issued online
New video tech to increase remote hearings in civil and family courts
June 2020
Investment of up to £6m in new listing technology to benefit court users
May 2020
Flexible operating hours pilots conclude at Manchester and Brentford
April 2020
New tech will help keep the criminal justice system moving during COVID-19 …
March 2020
Updated media guidance will ensure easier access to court information
January 2020
Courts and tribunals service centres to pilot longer hours
Temporary closure of Croydon Magistrates’ Court from September 2019
Notice for legal professionals when submitting applications to the Criminal…
New contracts will improve condition and security of courts
November 2019
Approved Enforcement Agency Services Contract Awarded
October 2019
Government publishes criminal court guidance for defendants
September 2019
New ways for people to access guidance and support
August 2019
New service centres see quicker support for court users
Probate work moves to courts and tribunals service centre
Agency appointed to support recruitment of legal professionals for research
July 2019
Start date announced for extended court hours pilots
New courts and tribunals service centre for Greater Manchester
June 2019
£15m extra government funding improves more than 200 courts
HMCTS legacy notification service – meeting summary 18 June 2019
Single justice procedure cases to be listed online
May 2019
HMCTS refreshes court security awareness materials
Funding available for professionals testing extended court hours
Way forward for courts and tribunals estate published
HM Courts and Tribunals Service launch communications survey
Video hearings tested in domestic abuse cases
Professional court access scheme to be adopted nationally
New routes to justice: Richard Susskind and Susan Acland-Hood discuss refor…
April 2019
Inaugural regional roundtable held to promote court reporting
Digital court system saves enough paper to cover central park twice
Shrewsbury court users benefit from £5m government investment
Cardiff courts at the forefront of reform
March 2019
Notification of charitable bequests – first meeting with charity sector
HMCTS engage parliamentarians on reform programme
Additional year to deliver ambitious court reforms
Providing a service to Welsh speakers
January 2019
New service for charitable bequests to be established
Court users to benefit from new service centres
Probate applications made simpler and easier with online service
Improving wifi in our criminal courts
More than 150,000 people benefit from online justice in 2018
December 2018
£15m government funding to fix court buildings
Swindon court users to benefit from £2.6m government investment
London hosts inaugural international online courts forum
November 2018
Approved Enforcement Agency update
Third Courts and Tribunals Service Centre announced
Vulnerable court users to benefit from £5m government investment
Professional Entry Scheme: Bar Council app to be tested at five new courts
Local courts and tribunals help to raise the bar on provision of refreshmen…
Justice Minister chairs roundtable on media access to courts
Courts to pilot more flexible hours for the benefit of the public
New online service launched for PIP appeals
HMCTS wins Campaign for Learning award
Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice to address the inaugural internation…
HMCTS sign lease for the Civic Centre with Newcastle City Council
October 2018
New media guidance issued to all court staff
HMCTS announces expert advisor on open data and academic engagement
Improving the services we offer for Welsh speakers
September 2018
Scotland Tribunals recognised as a Carer Positive Employer
Results of fully-video hearings pilot published
HMCTS reform roadshow events 2018 to 2019
Compliance and enforcement work to continue unchanged
July 2018
Click to accept jury service in an instant
May 2018
Liverpool at the forefront of justice transformation
Personal applicants can now apply for probate online
Submit your personal independent payment appeal online
Fully digital divorce application launched to the public
April 2018
New chairman of HMCTS board appointed
Quicker way to resolve claim disputes launched online
March 2018
Bogus Police and Trading Standards Officers in Kent
Transformation of Birmingham Civil Justice Centre – the future of courts an…
February 2018
Job opportunities at HMCTS Business Centres
January 2018
HM Courts and Tribunals Service tests fully digital divorce application
HM Courts & Tribunals Service launches project to promote press access to c…
December 2017
Yorkshire court worker awarded OBE
November 2017
Swifter justice for London fare dodgers
October 2017
Awards ceremony honours unsung heroes who support victims and witnesses
August 2017
Celebrating Services for Witnesses
June 2017
HMCTS Tax Appeal Online service is made available to the public
April 2017
Providing our services in Welsh
March 2017
HM Courts & Tribunals Service advice to debtors on unpaid historic fines
December 2016
Online plea service for traffic offences
HMCTS online fee service easier for customers
November 2016
New HMCTS Chief Executive takes up role
October 2016
Crown Court Digital Case System – defence practitioner workshops
July 2016
Modernisation of justice through technology and innovation
January 2016
Court closures due to severe weather and flooding
December 2015
Christmas and New Year closures for courts, tribunals and offices
October 2015
A modernised court and tribunal service
September 2015
Modernising courts and tribunals
June 2015
New family court centre opens in East London
November 2014
New appointment to HM Courts and Tribunals Service Board
August 2014
New appointments to HM Courts and Tribunals Service board