The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced plans to expand the use of remote hearings across England and Wales in an effort to reduce court backlogs, make better use of judicial resources and deliver faster justice for victims.
Under the proposed pilot, cases will be transferred digitally so they can be heard by judges in different locations across the jurisdiction. The technology, which has already been tested in London and the North East, is intended to ease pressure on busy courts by allowing proceedings to take place without every participant having to attend in person.
However, participants will retain the right to apply to a judge for an in-person hearing. Any further expansion of the scheme will depend on an evaluation of its effectiveness and judicial approval.
Courts Minister Sarah Sackman KC said the criminal justice system had faced serious difficulties, including last-minute hearing cancellations and unacceptable delays for victims. She said the pilot would help courts use their resources more effectively and support the development of a more efficient and resilient justice system.
Remote and hybrid hearings are already used in courts across England and Wales. The latest initiative is intended to build on existing arrangements and modernise the way proceedings are managed. The expansion is being introduced in line with the Lady Chief Justice’s guidance on remote participation in criminal courts.
The government has also agreed new arrangements with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Crown Prosecution Service to increase the use of live video links when police officers give evidence.
Alongside the remote-hearings initiative, the MoJ has announced that so-called “Blitz courts” will now be known as “short trial courts”. These courts will prioritise cases involving domestic abuse, drug offences and knife crime, grouping similar cases together so they can be dealt with during a concentrated period.
The approach is designed to make more effective use of judicial expertise, prosecutors’ time and court staff resources, with the aim of resolving cases more quickly. Courts participating in the initiative include the Old Bailey, Snaresbrook and Croydon Crown Courts, as well as court locations in Liverpool, Preston and Nottingham.
Sackman said judges and court staff were already demonstrating the benefits of directing resources towards cases where they were most needed, helping to accelerate proceedings and reduce the backlog.
According to the MoJ, two dedicated courtrooms at the Old Bailey were used during the summer to deal with a backlog of almost 500 cases involving assaults on emergency workers. The department said nearly half of the outstanding cases of this type had subsequently concluded.
The announcements come as the Courts and Tribunals Bill returns to Parliament. The government is pursuing a range of measures intended to improve court efficiency and address the growing number of cases waiting to be heard.
The effectiveness of the expanded remote-hearings pilot and the short trial court arrangements will be important in assessing how far these measures can help reduce delays while preserving judicial oversight and fair proceedings.
