Progress on court reform programme but challenges remain

News

As the HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) Reform Programme, established to help modernise the courts and tribunal system, comes to an end*, the Law Society of England and Wales has played an influential role to bring positive change.

Over the nine-year span of the programme, 14 modern digital services were developed to enable access to justice for all members of the public with over 4.1 million cases digitally submitted since April 2019.**

Since the start of the Reform Programme, the Law Society has played an influential role in helping to shape positive change in the courts and tribunal service. It has consulted members via working groups and through projects such as the online court services research and shared the information with HMCTS to improve reforms.

“While the Law Society has been broadly supportive of the Reform Programme, it has not been without its challenges,” said Law Society president Richard Atkinson.

“A modernised court and tribunal service could benefit all users provided it does not come at the expense of justice. That’s the reason why the Law Society has been consistent in ensuring issues regarding digitisation and physical court and tribunal functionality were sufficiently addressed.”

Research by the Law Society into the state of the court estate revealed that in 2022 more than 60 per cent of solicitors surveyed had experienced delays in cases due to the state of the court estate.*** Following this, significant funding has been allocated to bring the buildings up to modern standards.

Online courts services research found that more than 50 per cent of solicitors surveyed by the Law Society did not believe that the online portals are effective in delivering justice with the main impact being wider delays in the justice system.****

“Our aim has always been to ensure that modernisation and digitalisation of the courts and tribunals continues and that increasing access to justice is at the heart of all changes made,” added Richard Atkinson.

“We need to reinvent a justice system that is accessible to everyone, the public and legal professionals alike.

“There is still much more to be done and we will continue to work with HMCTS to ensure our courts and tribunals are fit-for-purpose for a 21st Century justice system.”

Notes to editors

* HMCTS’s Reform Programme concludes at the end of March 2025.

** HMCTS: Modernising courts and tribunals: what we've achieved and learned

** Law Society: Are our courts fit for purpose?

*** Law Society Online court services: delivering a more efficient digital justice system