Five steps to help fix chaos in our courts
News
19 Dec 2022
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Our courts are crumbling, plagued with delays and swamped by a 63,000-case backlog. We’ve published a five-point plan to help the government resolve these problems.
The backlog in our Crown Courts stands at over 63,000 cases, while care cases in the family court on average take 49 weeks to be dealt with.
Behind each of these statistics are people caught in limbo, their lives on hold as they await their day in court.
The coronavirus pandemic worsened the courts backlog, but it was not the cause – its origin lies in years of underinvestment.
Our five-point plan to fix the court backlogs
Our legal system is world leading, our court estate should be too.
We’re calling on the government to:
- invest in buildings and staff
- properly fund legal aid
- keep cases out of the courtroom
- ensure technology is reliable
- collect better data
These recommendations are based on research including a survey with over 500 solicitors, telling us about their day-to-day experiences in courts and tribunals.
Download the full five-point plan
Fresh ideas for the justice system
We’ve come up with some fresh ideas for practical, affordable changes to our civil justice system that will enhance access to justice and could save the system £72 million over a five-year period.