Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
4th Report - Work of the County Court
Justice Committee
HC 677
Published 21 July 2025
Recommendations
26
Accepted
Introduce standardised process for court staff to proactively engage on user access requirements.
Recommendation
HMCTS must introduce a standardised process by which Court and judicial listing staff proactively engage with court users on any access requirements for litigants, witnesses or legal practitioners prior to listing cases. (Recommendation, Paragraph 112) 58 Digitisation
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the objective but states that a system is already in place for court users to notify HMCTS of any reasonable adjustment requests, with the process outlined on the GOV.UK website.
Ministry of Justice
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29
Accepted
Co-design all future digital reforms with users and extensively pilot before rollout
Recommendation
All future digital reforms must be co-designed with users and stakeholders and should not be rolled out until they have proven reliable through extensive piloting and testing. (Recommendation, Paragraph 128)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, affirming that HMCTS's approach to designing digital services already involves extensive user research, co-design with users, and thorough piloting and testing, which will continue for all future digital reforms.
Ministry of Justice
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30
Accepted
Review and urgently prioritise digitisation of all descoped work within the Ministry of Justice
Recommendation
The Ministry of Justice must, as a matter of urgency, review all descoped work and prioritise its digitisation. Without this, we are left with an incomplete and inefficient system at significant public expense. (Recommendation, Paragraph 129)
Government Response Summary
The government states HMCTS has reviewed the descoped civil work, acknowledges the need for further digitalization, and is implementing the Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) system to modernize case file handling and improve efficiency.
Ministry of Justice
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34
Accepted
Replace postal services for paper files with electronic methods; implement opt-in postal options
Recommendation
Use of postal services for sending paper files must be replaced with email or other electronic methods. Postal options should be an opt-in service as already implemented across multiple Government agencies to effectively mitigate against digital exclusion. (Recommendation, Paragraph 138)
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation and is rolling out the Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) project via Microsoft PowerApps to increase electronic document management, aiming to eliminate reliance on physical post and ensure electronic transfer of case files.
Ministry of Justice
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35
Accepted
Enhance existing electronic systems to support uploading of larger documents for all County Court claims
Recommendation
HMCTS must enhance existing electronic systems to support the upload of larger documents for all types of claims heard in the County Court. (Recommendation, Paragraph 139) 59 Other opportunities for reform
Government Response Summary
The government accepts, stating that new digital systems already support most documents with limits of 1GB for documents and 500MB for multimedia, and they will complete a review of the more restrictive limits for email submissions.
Ministry of Justice
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37
Accepted
Evaluate mandatory mediation deployment in other claim types as part of future County Court reviews
Recommendation
As part of any future review into the County Court, an evaluation of mandatory mediation must be undertaken to understand whether it can be effectively deployed in other claim types. (Recommendation, Paragraph 147)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that an evaluation and review of the mandatory mediation pilot (running until May 2026) will be undertaken, with findings informing decisions on future expansion to other claim types.
Ministry of Justice
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39
Accepted
Prioritise rolling out well-regarded existing digital systems from other jurisdictions for HMCTS
Recommendation
Following the completion of the £1 billion Reform Programme, HMCTS must prioritise the roll out of existing systems from other jurisdictions, such as CE Filing, which are well-regarded by legal professionals. These should not be replaced for the sake of …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts and has a project underway to continue providing a digital case management and e-Filing solution in the High Court, with a key requirement for improved operability with existing Civil, Family, and Tribunals platforms.
Ministry of Justice
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40
Accepted
Launch consultation on effectively using AI to improve County Court performance and operations by 2026
Recommendation
The Ministry of Justice must launch a consultation, into how it plans to effectively use AI to improve the performance and operations of the County Court and report its conclusions by the end of 2026. (Recommendation, Paragraph 156) Conclusions on …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts in part, stating that the Ministry of Justice has already conducted consultations and published the AI Action Plan for Justice in July 2025, which outlines their approach and ongoing pilots for AI adoption in the justice system.
Ministry of Justice
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42
Accepted
Lack of clear plans to address well-established County Court inefficiencies and delays persists
Recommendation
The causes of the inefficiencies and delays in the County Court are well- established, and openly recognised by Ministers and officials, yet it is unclear how HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), together with the Judiciary and the Ministry of …
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Government Response Summary
HMCTS is exploring the development of predictive analytical tools, underpinned by machine learning, to support better administration of listing.
Ministry of Justice
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Conclusions (8)
2
Conclusion
Accepted
‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ has never been more relevant to the work of the County Court: the current level of delays is unacceptable. Whilst we recognise the pandemic significantly contributed to the backlog in cases, the available data clearly shows it only exacerbated existing trends. The rising caseload, and …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges unacceptable delays for trials and commits to increasing judicial recruitment, enhancing digital working, and implementing the Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) project to streamline document management and improve case progression.
5
Conclusion
Accepted
As part of any future review, HMCTS must develop a manageable programme to reduce the delays to pre-2015 levels by the end of this Parliament. (Recommendation, Paragraph 33) 55
Government Response Summary
The government commits to developing a cross-jurisdictional Remote Participation Strategy to improve consistency, efficiency, and accessibility in using remote hearings, aiming to reduce County Court delays and ease pressure on resources.
6
Conclusion
Accepted
We recognise the role that block listing plays in providing flexibility to the schedule considering the high settlement rate in the County Court. However, we have heard concerns that it negatively impacts court users through financial implications and the increased frustrations of all parties resulting in more people settling as …
Government Response Summary
The government details an action plan to improve County Court contact services, including integrating Civil Auto File Share (CAFS), implementing a multiskilling programme for call handlers, introducing clearer contact points, and rolling out webchat and query management tools.
7
Conclusion
Accepted
HMCTS, together with the Judiciary, must work together to collect the necessary data on listing and settlement rates to allow for data-informed listing practices ensuring any over-listing is minimised. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42)
Government Response Summary
The government states a roadmap is developed to improve the Find a Court or Tribunal (FaCT) system, including auditing content, reviewing policies, engaging user groups, and delivering improvements by September 2026.
8
Conclusion
Accepted
Litigants must be able to recover the legal, travel, and subsistence costs from HMCTS wasted as a result of over-listing and/or poor court administration preventing their cases from being heard. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)
Government Response Summary
The government states it commissioned the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) to review judicial salary structures, with a report due in November 2026, and will concurrently review regional District Judge recruitment exercises concluding in Spring 2026.
11
Conclusion
Accepted
The CNBC must be integrated with local court case management systems to improve coordination and responsiveness. Allocated claims handlers and a clear point of contact must be introduced to ensure claimants can speak with someone knowledgeable and responsible for their case as it progresses through the County Court system. (Recommendation, …
Government Response Summary
The government details work by the Online Procedure Rules Committee on new procedure rules for digital services, provides existing grant funding for legal support, and commits to working with the judiciary on further guidance and considering AI support for this program from October.
32
Conclusion
Accepted
It is very difficult to understand why the County Court continues to rely on paper files, which need to be shipped around the country at great cost. Paper is a serious cause of the delays in the County Court, caused by a “patchwork” of systems and case reference numbers, and …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the concern and is already implementing the Civil Auto File Share (CAFS) project to digitize paper files, enable electronic transfer between courts, and work towards a fully paperless Civil National Business Centre.
36
Conclusion
Accepted
Mediation is a viable out of court route with early signs of success in the County Court. It offers claimants a quicker route to seeking justice, one not beset by delays or missing files. (Conclusion, Paragraph 146)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the conclusion, noting that a pilot for mandatory small claims mediation is in place until May 2026 and will be evaluated to inform decisions on its extension or expansion to other claim types.