HMCTS weekly operational summary on courts and tribunals during coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

HMCTS have released a weekly summary of the HM Courts and Tribunals Service operational position during the coronavirus pandemic. They will aim to update this every Friday at 5pm.

"HMCTS operational summary for week commencing Monday 1 June 2020

Next week’s update will be issued on Friday 5 June 2020.

• We have many online court and tribunal services available to professional users and members of the public. These remove the need to contact us by phone, email or post.
• We have comprehensively assessed risk to staff and users and are ensuring the safety of anyone who comes in to our buildings by applying published court and tribunal coronavirus safety controls, including an organisational risk assessment, assessment tool and additional guidance for regular court users. These have been endorsed by Public Health England and Public Health Wales.
• We’re consolidating the work of courts and tribunals into fewer buildings. Some building are open to the public, some buildings are staffed but are not open to the public, and some buildings are temporarily closed. The list was updated 29 May 2020.
• Where courts and tribunals are closed, we’ll contact parties directly to confirm new hearing arrangements. We’ll contact those parties whose hearings were scheduled to happen first, and work our way through the list as quickly as possible. Please be patient while we do this, and avoid making contact if you can.
• The Kinly Cloud Video Platform (CVP) is being rolled out to Crown and magistrates’ courts, across England and Wales. On May 27 2020, we updated the timetable for the rollout of CVP to Crown courts. It is also being introduced to Civil and Family courts. Please see our updated telephone and video hearings during coronavirus outbreak and a guide on how to join a telephone and video hearing.
• We’ve published guidance on how to join a CVP hearing and instructions for downloading Skype for Business in order to join a court hearing.
• We’re continuing to avoid physical hearings and arranging remote hearings wherever possible. Anyone who requires technical support for a telephone or video hearing can call 0330 8089405.
• Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres will be available from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 4pm on Fridays until further notice. Courts and Tribunals Service Centre - advice on contacting HMCTS during coronavirus (PDF, 303KB, 4 pages).
• Our South East region will only be taking calls between 10am to 2pm in all jurisdictions (with the exceptions on the next line).
• Chelmsford, Norwich, Ipswich and Basildon Crown Courts are temporarily unable to answer calls. The recorded message will advise you what to do.
• We’ve introduced temporary new hours in our Scotland contact centre. HMCTS Scotland contact centre opening hours w/c 1 June 2020 (PDF, 149KB, 1 page).
• Welsh Language services available during the coronavirus outbreak. Welsh language services update w/c 1 June 2020 (PDF, 256KB, 1 page).