The county court system is 'dysfunctional', 'failing to deliver justice' and now requires 'urgent' review, a new report by the Justice Committee has found.
The report entitled 'Work of the County Court' by the cross-party committee, chaired by Labour MP Andy Slaughter, has concluded that it's ‘imperative that the improvement of the county court becomes a key priority of the Ministry of Justice’.
The committee struggled to understand why the county court continues to rely on paper files, which need to be shipped around the country at great cost. It concluded that paper is a serious cause of the delays in the county court.
Welcoming the report and its findings, Bar Council Chair Barbara Mills KC said: “This report paints a picture of a system which often get little attention but is as chronically under resourced as other areas in our justice system.
"The county courts are beset by crippling delays, a massive problem with staffing, and courts in a very poor state of repair, with members telling us that in some cases they do not have basic facilities like a lift, rendering them inaccessible. The reliance on outdated paper-based systems has been identified as one of the key factors contributing to the delays. As the Justice Committee have recommended, we hope HMCTS involves us when future digital reforms are piloted and tested.
“The situation facing the county courts is negatively impacting all involved – detrimentally affects the parties - and hampers the administration of and access to justice. Reform and funding are needed now; the system in its current state is eroding justice.”