HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales.
We are also responsible for non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Who we are
We employ around 19,000 staff and operate from locations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Our responsibilities
Through the courts and tribunals we give people and businesses access to justice, including:
• victims and witnesses of crime
• defendants accused of crimes
• consumers in debt or with other disputes
• people involved in the adoption or protection of children
• businesses involved in commercial disputes
• individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies
• people affected by relationship breakdown
We follow the Ministry of Justice’s outcome delivery plan to deliver swift access to justice.
We’re responsible for:
• providing the supporting administration for a fair, efficient and accessible courts and tribunal system
• supporting an independent judiciary in the administration of justice
• driving improvements across all aspects of the administration of the courts and tribunals
• collaborating effectively with other justice organisations and agencies, including the legal professions, to improve access to justice
• working with government departments and agencies to improve the quality and timeliness of their decision-making, which will reduce the number of cases coming before courts and tribunals
We launched our Reform Programme in 2016. Now in the final stages of delivery, we continue to work closely with the judiciary, legal professionals and users of our justice system – and are making considerable progress towards making that long-term vision a reality.
Our Reform Programme page contains more information and updates from each of the jurisdictional areas.
Our courts
We administer the work of magistrates’ courts, County Court, Family Court, Crown Court, Royal Courts of Justice and the Rolls Building.
