ATCM: Over 1 million Single Justice Procedure cases moved from paper to digital
The Single Justice Procedure (SJP) was introduced by the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015.
It allows prosecutors – who decide whether a case should be taken through the procedure – to deal with cases involving adult defendants accused of lesser offences that cannot result in a prison sentence, including:
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speeding
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driving without insurance
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TV license evasion
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evading train fares
It enables defendants, prosecutors and courts to reach a resolution to minor offences without having to attend court (unless they choose to do so).
A single magistrate, advised by a professional lawyer, deals with cases under SJP away from a courtroom. There’s no prosecutor or defendant present and they can deal with the case swiftly without tying up valuable court time.
Before 2017, SJP cases relied on paper-based processes and outdated technology meaning:
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court staff and magistrates manually handling lots of paper
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hours spent manually entering data which also increased the risk of human error
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inefficient sharing of information over email causing delays
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cost to the taxpayer associated with printing and transporting files from building to building
The system needed modernisation to handle summary, non-imprisonable offences more efficiently.
Benefits
By introducing Automated Track Case Management (ATCM), a digital service created to help process SJP cases on the Common Platform criminal case management system, we’ve transformed the process. This modernised, streamlined service now provides courts, prosecutors, and the public with a more efficient service.
Over 1.1 million SJP cases have been completed digitally between April 2017 and 31 December 2024, each benefiting through:
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faster justice giving prosecutors more capacity and enabling for defendants to move on more quickly with their lives
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quicker information sharing between court, prosecutor and defendant
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the ability to interact with cases more accessibly at any time and keep informed of progress
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greater flexibility to magistrates and court staff, enabling a more efficient running of the work coming into court
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better consistency of service being provided to all stakeholders, with Courts and Tribunals Service Centres dealing with day-to-day enquiries, rather than individual courts
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more effective use of physical court capacity providing better value for money to the taxpayer
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case lists published online and additional information made available to journalists, to support open justice
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significant reduction in the financial cost of printing and transporting paper files
Our digital transformation
ATCM represents a transformation of the SJP system. The digital platform now manages cases from initial receipt through to the magistrate’s decision, while providing transparent access to case outcomes, referrals, and costs awarded to all stakeholders in the process, as well as journalists.
By creating a digital platform under the Reform Programme we’ve enabled:
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end-to-end digital case management from beginning of the process to decision, allowing all stakeholders to access the information they need in real time
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direct digital case uploading by prosecutors including DVLA, TV Licensing, TfL and local police forces
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online plea submissions, where defendants can upload supporting information
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real-time tracking of the progress made by a case
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automated notification system for case decisions to all stakeholders involved in the process, and also to journalists
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journalists can obtain detailed information (prosecution facts and defence mitigation) digitally
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digital access for magistrates to enter decisions directly into the system
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integrated support from Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC)
This benefits a range of people involved in the process:
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Prosecutors including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, TV Licensing, and police forces can now upload cases directly to the system
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Defendants can submit pleas and access supporting information online
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Magistrates and legal advisers can access case details, record decisions, generate orders and notices, and update driver records all through one unified platform
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Journalists receive more information and do not have to travel to courts in person in order to report on cases
Better information sharing
The system’s role-based access ensures users only see information relevant to their needs, eliminating the need for paper documentation and reducing manual data entry.
Transparency is maintained through online publication of court lists, while journalists can access both upcoming hearing lists and court records, enabling scrutiny and reporting of outcomes to the public.
Take up of the digital service has been strong, with the volume of digital cases between April 2019 and March 2023 more than doubling.
Since April 2022, 80% of people going through the single justice service are satisfied with the service they received.
Working together
We have consulted and collaborated with a number of justice partners to design, test and implement Automated Track Case Management, the digital system developed to administer Single Justice Procedure cases online:
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local police forces on rollout and delivery – police prosecutors are now able to upload direct to the system and self-serve
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all criminal justice system partners
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non police prosecutors (NPPs) - these are now digital by default and onboarding for NPPs will accelerate in 2025/2026
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Courts and Tribunals Service Centres to offer best support and advice with ongoing cases to all stakeholders
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magistrates, legal advisers and judiciary as a vital partner to deliver a more streamlined system
Getting support
The Courts and Tribunals Service Centres (CTSC) provide comprehensive assistance to all users. Key improvements include:
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dedicated support for defendants, prosecutors, and journalists
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consistent service levels across all interactions
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reduced wait times from over an hour to 15 minutes for phone queries
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new online self-endorsement system for driving licence details
Feedback and insights
Andrew Morris, Acting Head of Legal Operations for Wales, reflected:
“It increases flexibility, is time efficient, more eco-friendly, and saves courtroom space for dealing with more serious offences.”
West Yorkshire Police Unit Operations Manager, Debbie Taylor, emphasised the impact:
“Before ATCM and Common Platform, we did 600 SJP cases a week. In October 2024, it’s now gone up to 650 cases a week – and we are on track to increase to a thousand by June or July 2025.”
Future plans
We plan to continue to evolve the system including:
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completing the digital service rollout to all police forces nationwide engaging new non–police prosecutors including the Environment Agency and transport companies
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holding a comprehensive evaluation of the system’s sustainability and effectiveness
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improving media access and transparency measures – publishing more data than ever before, as well as inviting journalists to observe SJP sessions
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developing enhanced self-service options for users
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implementing continuous technological improvements
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You can read more about how the Single Justice Procedure works by visiting: Explaining the Single Justice Procedure in the magistrates’ court – Inside HMCTS