A pilot scheme to test whether more flexible operating hours can
be used for court hearings has come to an end ahead of an
independent evaluation process.
Courts traditionally sit between 10am and 4pm, but from September
2019 to March 2020, Manchester Civil Justice Centre and Brentford
County Court operated outside of these traditional hours.
The aim of the pilot in civil and family cases was to test the
impact of using court and tribunal hearing rooms more
intensively, and how a wider range of hours offers the potential
to improve access to justice. During the six-month pilot a range
of cases were heard, including family financial dispute
resolution, road traffic accident, small claims and rent
possessions.
To assess the pilots, HMCTS has appointed IFF Research and
Frontier Economics to provide an independent evaluation. The
evaluation will include feedback from members of the public,
court staff and the judiciary on their experiences. Their
findings will be published in a report later in the year.
Huw Evans, HMCTS service manager for the flexible operating hours
pilot, said:
Flexible operating hours have been piloted as part of HMCTS’s
£1 billion investment in reforming our courts and tribunals
system, which aims to ensure our justice system is just,
proportionate and accessible.
We’re grateful to court users, our staff, the judiciary, local
legal professionals and other organisations who have taken part
in the pilot and given their feedback.
Any decision about the use of flexible operating hours in the
future will only be made after careful consideration of the
independent evaluation and the effects, costs and benefits of
flexible operating hours across the justice system.
The independent evaluation report is due later this year. Once
available, the report will be published on GOV.UK.
- Manchester has been testing late sittings (4.30pm to 7pm)
involving civil and family work
- Brentford has been testing early (8am to 10.30am) and late
sittings (4.30pm to 7pm) involving civil work only
