HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is extending the use of its Cloud Video Platform to civil and family courts.
This follows the beginning of its implementation of the platform to magistrates’ and crown courts in England and Wales in May. It is already in 60 of the former and 93 of the latter, has been used in 3,600 crown court hearings and 7,000 overnight remand cases, and is scheduled to be available in all criminal courtrooms by the end of this month.
HMCTS said the extension will run to over 120 civil and family courts and is part of its recovery plan to catch up with the backlog caused by the coronavirus lockdown.
An extension to county counts is set to take place over the next few months.
Courts Minister Chris Philp said: “We have worked closely with the judiciary to continue thousands of hearings during the pandemic.
“This new system will bolster our efforts to prioritise urgent cases and increase our capacity to hear them remotely – ensuring justice is delivered effectively and safely.”
Image by Captain Roger Fenton, public domain through flickr
