The Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and tribunal service have announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the work of the courts and tribunals will be consolidated to fewer buildings for public safety reasons.
Temporary changes have been designed by HM Courts and Tribunal Service and will focus to help maintain a core justice system and focus on the most essential cases.
These measures came into effect from Monday 30 March 2020 and will be kept for as long as it is necessary to comply with the public health and government advice. The measures will be reviewed regularly.
How many courts will be open?
For essential face-to-face hearings for the public, 157 courts will be open.
HMCTS is publishing daily operational summaries on courts and tribunals open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
What are staffed courts?
These buildings are where the staff and judges will work from however theses courts will not be open for the public. Parties that may be involved in the video or telephone hearings will be able to attend remotely. 124 staffed courts are open.
How many courts have been suspended?
75 courts have been suspended and these courts will be temporarily closed.
Do I need to attend Court?
The judiciary of England and Wales has stated that remote hearings should be used wherever possible during the current pandemic. Please see our page on further information on remote hearings.
Where do I issue a claim?
If you are contemplating issuing proceedings it is important you seek legal advice as soon as possible.
Whether a money claim, injunction or petition, we can advise you on the Court where you need to present your claim and the procedure on how to do so.
Impact of COVID-19 on litigation
In response to the ongoing impact COVID-19 continues to have on the justice system, changes have been introduced to ensure legal matters may continue while still following government guidelines.
Useful links
- Gov Guidance: Courts and tribunals tracker list during coronavirus outbreak
- Court or Tribunal finder
- HMCTS telephone and video hearings during coronavirus outbreak
London Litigation Solicitors
Our London litigation lawyers act as tenaciously as the client’s needs and case demands. Our chambers are located near the High Court and Central London County Courts in the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London and can act with speed on your litigation matters. We can accept urgent instructions and obtain injunctions rapidly. For example we obtained an out of hours emergency worldwide freezing injunction for a client in the diamond trade. Our client’s case required overnight preparation of affidavits and attendance upon a Judge at his private residence followed by immediate enforcement action and further attendance the next morning at the High Court. We achieved all this in-house as we are a firm of solicitors and barristers.