An update for professional court users

9 March 2020

Coming to court

You should continue to use courts and tribunals as usual. Any changes to individual hearings will be communicated, in the usual way, directly to those affected. HMCTS have updated their entering courts and tribunals security policy. You can now bring hand sanitiser into the buildings – the court security officers will ask you to use it to prove it’s not harmful.

Government guidance is available for workplaces. Although courts and tribunals are not businesses, the principles should be applied to the work of courts and tribunals. This includes the approach to take on wearing facemasks and what to do if someone is suspected of having the virus. HMCTS will follow this Government-wide advice in relation to managing our buildings and making decisions about keeping them open.

What to do if you, or a member of your party, cannot attend court

If you, or someone you are representing, cannot attend court for medical reasons please contact the court where the hearing is due to take place.

How HMCTS will update you about the impact of COVID-19 on courts and tribunals

If there are wider changes to the operational running of the courts this will be communicated in the first instance on HMCTS digital channels.

To see the full statement from HMCTS please click here