HM Courts and Tribunals Service engagement groups
Professional and public user groups working with us on aspects of the HMCTS Reform Programme, including collaboration on new development proposals.
We’re modernising our courts and tribunals system to make it more straightforward, accessible and efficient for all. It’s an ambitious programme designed to improve the system for both those who use it and for those working within it.
We host a number of engagement forums to make sure we’re collaborating with professional and public user groups on proposals, developments and services within the reform programme, to better understand their needs. This work has helped to shape the future landscape of the courts and tribunals services to achieve the best possible outcomes for all.
Criminal Justice Engagement Groups
The reform programme is changing the way that criminal cases are dealt with in court. At the same time, other agencies in the criminal justice system – such as the police and prison and probation services – are also changing the ways that they work. Criminal Justice Engagement Groups bring together those agencies so we can coordinate our plans for improvement.
HMCTS and representatives of the legal profession also contribute to the judicial-led Crown Court Improvement Group, chaired by the Senior Presiding Judge, to improve the performance of the Crown Court in England and Wales. Representatives from across the criminal justice system, including the Crown Prosecution Service, HM Prison and Probation Service, the Legal Aid Agency meet monthly and report directly to the Lord Chief Justice.
Local Criminal Justice Boards bring together criminal justice organisations across England and Wales, and are often chaired by local police and crime commissioners or chief constables. HMCTS is represented at these meetings through regional heads of crime who contribute to discussions and policing decisions involving criminal courts within each police force area.
| Forum | Remit | Membership | |
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Crime programme board Schedule of meetings: monthly |
Oversees and manages the roadmap and implementation for Crime Reform, reviewing milestones and providing programme governance. The group reviews assurance documentation and is the arbiter of readiness to go ahead with programme initiatives. | HMCTS senior managers, Crime Programme senior leaders, Judiciary, Judicial Office, Crown Prosecution Service, HMPPS, Legal Aid Agency, Police, Home Office | |
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Digital Practitioners’ Working Group Chair: Business Product Owner – CJS Common Platform, HMCTS Reform Crime Programme Schedule of meetings: monthly |
To provide feedback on the design of Common Platform features that impact on defence users. It provides a mechanism for defence practitioners to feedback on products and services, as they’re being designed, built and tested prior to live use. The group discusses digital issues and showcases the latest functionality that’s been developed for Common Platform. | Representation invited from: HMCTS, Bar Council, Law Society, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, Criminal Bar Association, Institute of Barristers’ Clerks, Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, Legal Aid Agency, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, Legal Aid Practitioner Group, Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Crown Prosecution Service, Youth Justice Board. | |
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Common Platform Local Implementation Groups (LITs) Schedule of meetings varies according to proximity to go-live date |
To engage with local courts, judiciary, partner agencies, police and stakeholders (including defence solicitors) in the lead-up to a set of courts going live with Common Platform. The LIT representatives confirm readiness for go-live and share news with their colleagues in the area, as well as bringing their feedback to HMCTS. | Police, Prison Service, National Probation Service, PECs, Judicial Office, Magistrates Digital Lead, Legal Aid Agency, Home Office, Public Defender Service, Crown Prosecution Service, CTSC, Crime Communication Lead, Common Platform Programme Team |
Legal Professional Engagement Groups
We undertake regular engagement with legal professional bodies such as the Bar Council, the Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives at both Chief Executive and policy levels. We also work collaboratively with these bodies to make sure practitioners’ views are considered in the development of proposals and design of reformed services.
Each jurisdiction also hosts ad-hoc forums involving legal professionals to present engagement activity on specific issues and projects, based on jurisdictional project timetables and key areas of interest for the profession.
| Forum | Remit | Membership |
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Legal professionals’ court recovery update Chair: Development Director, HMCTS Schedule of meetings: monthly. |
To update and engage on recovery plans from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and current activity, across all jurisdictions, with input from the legal profession to inform and challenge decision-making. | HMCTS, Bar Council, Law Society, Support through court, 7br Barristers chambers. |
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Strategic Engagement Group Chair: Head of Corporate Relations, HMCTS Schedule of meetings: quarterly. |
Aims to have a strategic overview of engagement activities as well as planning activity to engage effectively across the programme. This is a steering group comprising HMCTS jurisdictional leads and policy leads from key legal representative organisations. | HMCTS, The Bar Council, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, the Law Society. |
Public User Engagement Groups
A Strategic Public Engagement Group oversees four jurisdictional public engagement groups for civil, family, tribunals and crime. All groups meet tri-annually.
The purpose of these groups is to get insight into users’ experience and feedback on services. Members of the strategic group are senior cross-jurisdictional, third sector representatives.
Jurisdictional groups are chaired by HMCTS service owners who hear feedback directly from group members. They include practitioners that regularly support users and who are experts from within their own jurisdictions.
If you’re interested in joining any groups, want further information or access to the full list of stakeholders, please contact us at publicengagement@justice.gov.uk.
| Forum | Remit | Membership |
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Strategic Public Engagement Group Chair(s): Mr Justice Robin Knowles CBE HMCTS, Head of User Strategy Inclusion & Engagement Schedule of meetings: Tri-annually, with additional meetings as required. |
Provides a strategic perspective, providing feedback and insight on cross-jurisdictional issues for users of the justice system. | Senior leaders from external advice and support organisations including: Advice UK, Autism Alliance, Citizens Advice, JUSTICE, Law Centres Network, LawWorks, Revolving Doors, Shelter, Support Through Court, Victim Support, National Advice Network Wales, Young Legal Aid Lawyers, Rethink. |
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Civil Jurisdiction Public Engagement Group Chair(s): Jurisdictional service owners. Schedule of meetings: Tri-annually, with additional meetings as required. |
Provides jurisdictional insight into users’ experience of service delivery and feedback on changes and continuous improvements initiatives being made in the civil jurisdiction. | Practitioner level members from external advice and support sector, including: Advice UK, Citizen Advice, Community Law Services, Federation of Small Businesses, The Intermediary Cooperative, Justice, Support Through Court. |
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Family Jurisdiction Public Engagement Group Chair: Jurisdictional service owner. Schedule of meetings: Tri-annually, with additional meetings as required. |
Provides jurisdictional insight into users’ experience of service delivery and feedback on changes and continuous improvements initiatives being made in the family jurisdiction. |
Practitioner level members from external advice and support sector, including: Community Law Services, Volunteer Support & Advice Services, the Family Mediation Council, The Intermediary Cooperative, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Support Through Court. |
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Crime Jurisdictional Public Engagement Group Chair(s): Jurisdictional service owner. Schedule of meetings: Tri-annually, with additional meetings as required. |
Provides jurisdictional insight into users’ experience of service delivery and feedback on changes and continuous improvements initiatives being made in the crime jurisdiction. | Practitioner level members from external advice and support sector, including: Community Law Services, Volunteer Support & Advice Services, Citizen’s Advice, The Intermediary Cooperative, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Victim Support, Youth Justice Board. |
Media Engagement Groups
The group brings together representatives of the media and HMCTS policy and operational representatives to discuss issues around media access to our sites and hearings.
It supports HMCTS in updating its staff guidance to promote media access to courts and tribunals.
| Forum | Remit | Membership |
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Media Working Group Chair: Director of Communications, HMCTS Schedule of meetings: bi-annually or as requested by the group. |
Supports ongoing engagement between representatives of the media and HMCTS, to discuss media access to courts and tribunals and providing information to the media. | HMCTS, Ministry of Justice, Judicial Office, Evening Standard, BBC, ITN, News Media Association, Society of Editors, National Union of Journalists, National Council for Training Journalists, JPI Media, The Guardian, Crime Reporters Association, Newsquest Media Group, Press Association, RADAR. |
For further information on any of these groups, contact: HMCTS.Communications@justice.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Last updated 29 February 2024 + show all updates
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Updated information about public user engagement groups.
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Crown Court working group removed as it has now been dissolved.
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COVID-19 engagement groups updated.
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New stakeholder group: Engagement during COVID-19.
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