Courts in England and Wales are due to close under a Justice Transformation Scheme

HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is three years into a £1bn programme of changes but is facing significant delays and failing to take into account the experiences of court users, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.

“HMCTS has made good progress in reforming some services but it is behind where it expected to be and has had to scale back its ambitions,” said Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO. “The timescale and scope remain ambitious and [it] must maintain a strong grip if it is to deliver a system that works better for everyone and delivers savings for the taxpayer.”

The modernisation programme will include an increase in the use of “virtual hearings” in criminal cases, with judges and magistrates dealing with defendants from a police station or prison using a video link.

You can read the full entry here: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019...wales-to-close

Transform Justice is a national charity working for a fair, humane, open and effective justice system.

Nearly 80 more courts in England and Wales are due to close under a justice transformation scheme that is falling behind schedule, a watchdog's report has revealed. ... A total of 77 courts are currently scheduled to be shut down; until recently as many as 96 had been earmarked for closure.

The criminal justice system of the United Kingdom is the collective body responsible for administrating justice in the UK, and consists of various institutions such as the police, the crown prosecution service, and the UK's prison system.

Transform Justice is a national charity working for a fair, humane, open and effective justice system.