HM Courts & Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales.
We are also responsible for non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Through the courts and tribunals we give people and businesses access to justice, including:
- victims and witnesses of crime
- defendants accused of crimes
- consumers in debt or with other disputes
- people involved in the adoption or protection of children
- businesses involved in commercial disputes
- individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies
- people affected by relationship breakdown
We follow the Ministry of Justice’s strategic vision for reform, to create a more effective, less costly and more responsive justice system for the public.
We’re responsible for:
- providing the supporting administration for a fair, efficient and accessible courts and tribunal system
- supporting an independent judiciary in the administration of justice
- driving improvements across all aspects of the administration of the courts and tribunals
- collaborating effectively with other justice organisations and agencies, including the legal professions, to improve access to justice
- working with government departments and agencies to improve the quality and timeliness of their decision-making, which will reduce the number of cases coming before courts and tribunals
