Morning, Thursday, 16th July 2026
Online
This conference will examine the way forward for improving the operation and efficiency of the courts system in England and Wales.
Discussion will focus on criminal courts reform, the future allocation of cases between the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts, and wider priorities for court capacity, workforce resilience and access to justice.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to consider recommendations set out in Parts 1 and 2 of the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, alongside the Government’s response to Part 1 and provisions in the Courts and Tribunals Bill currently progressing through Parliament. Delegates will discuss proposals relating to case allocation, trial processes, victim support and system performance, and the alignment of immediate operational changes with the wider programme of structural reform.
Attendees will consider proposals including expanded use of judge-only trials, Swift Courts alongside expanded use of judge-only trials, and a rebalancing of work between the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts and how they might affect delay, court capacity and the experience of victims, defendants, witnesses and legal professionals. Further discussion is expected on implications for jury trial, fairness and legitimacy, and what is needed to underpin effective practical operation of reforms affecting mid-level cases, sentencing powers and routes of appeal to operate effectively in practice.
The planned agenda will also assess wider operational pressures across the system, including productivity, ineffective trials, case complexity and workforce constraints affecting the courts, legal aid, policing and prisons. Delegates will consider approaches to improving system coordination, supporting recruitment and retention, examining reform in terms of their potential effectiveness in delivering sustainable improvements in efficiency, resilience and equality of access across the courts system.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- criminal courts reform legislation:
- implications of the Courts and Tribunals Bill for delivering swifter justice for victims - priorities for implementation and delivery across the courts system
- Independent Review of the Criminal Courts recommendations - system redesign, case allocation and structural reform - alignment between review proposals and Government policy
- case allocation and magistrates’ courts:
- rebalancing work between Crown Court and magistrates’ courts - operational readiness and capacity constraints
- widening magistrate sentencing powers and reclassification of offences - weighing risks of displacement against genuine backlog reduction
- productivity and efficiency:
- findings from analysis on productivity, ineffective trials and case complexity
- options for improving court productivity - case management, listing practices and administrative reform
- victims and access to justice:
- measures in the Bill to strengthen victim and witness support - delivery and impact in practice
- addressing delays in serious cases, including rape and sexual offences - balancing timeliness with quality of outcomes
- workforce and legal capacity:
- recruitment and retention challenges across the criminal Bar, solicitors and judiciary - implications for court functioning
- sustainability of legal aid and remuneration structures - supporting participation and system resilience
- system-wide pressures and coordination:
- role of police, CPS and upstream processes in driving court backlog - need for cross-system reform
- improving coordination between agencies - data sharing, case progression and reducing ineffective trials
