Digital Case System (DCS)

Plans for Common Platform in 2024/25  (26.02.24)

See this update from HMCTS to their most recent blog post about HMCTS’ priorities for Reform in 2024/25, and plans for Crime Reform in particular: Completing Reform – Common Platform – Inside HMCTS (blog.gov.uk)

Crime Reform Update from Daniel Flurry, Crime Programme Director at HM Courts and Tribunals Service (23.10.23)

Crime Reform update from Daniel Flury, Crime Programme Director at HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Having recently stepped into the role of Director Crime Programme Director at HM Courts and Tribunals Service, I was keen to introduce myself to you as members of the Bar and take the opportunity to briefly update you on reforms to the criminal courts, focusing on what’s most relevant to criminal barristers.

I know some of you may feel that you haven’t had very much detail from us in recent months, and I acknowledge that this may have felt frustrating. While this is largely because we’ve been primarily focused on developments in the magistrates’ court, I’m committed to improving the frequency of communications we have with you about our work I intend for this brief message to pave the way for more regular, tailored updates.

We’re currently reviewing our delivery plans for the coming months, and I expect to be able to communicate more soon about the technical enhancements we’ll be introducing, and timescales for these.

Recent milestones

In July we completed national rollout of the Common Platform criminal case management system for use in every criminal court across England and Wales. The number of cases managed on the system has been steadily rising, and I’m pleased to confirm that earlier this month we passed the milestone of accepting more than half a million cases onto Common Platform.

In particular, numbers of cases in the Crown Court being managed on Common Platform continue to grow. Our internal management information shows more than 80% of cases entering the Crown Court are now on the platform, and this percentage has been increasing month on month. We’re also seeing efficiencies in the rate hearing results are uploaded and shared – in August, for example, over 90% of cases were resulted and shared within 1 day of completion, compared to around 60% on the legacy system, enabling quicker notifications for all parties.

Improvements to Common Platform for defence

Over the past few months, we’ve made various improvements to Common Platform which make it more user-friendly for defence barristers.  These include:

• a quicker and easier check-in process for court hearings – you can now use the same screen to check-in as prosecution or defence for each hearing you’re attending, ensuring the Legal Aid Agency is made aware
• easier switching between cases for defendants you’re registered as representing
• details on all defendants you’re representing in a multi-defendant case in the same place
• making it possible to search for case details using a defendant’s name, date of birth and hearing date instead of requiring the unique reference number
• easier access to the Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms when first associating with a case

You can read our guidance to find out more about using Common Platform effectively.

Keeping your Common Platform account active 

Because of the sensitivity of some of the information held on Common Platform, our security protocols mean that user accounts need to be deregistered if they are inactive for 90 days. You will receive an alert email before this happens, and all you need to do to keep your account active is to login.

Checking in for hearings will keep your account active, and also ensure that the Legal Aid Agency is made aware for payment purposes.

If you do find that your account has been deregistered, your organisation administrator can reinstate it for you. They can also help with other account management matters, such as registering a new mobile phone to use for 2-factor authentication.

If you have any problems activating or re-registering your account, please do get in touch with us at [email protected], and we’ll address your problem as quickly as possible.

Keeping in touch

If you have questions or feedback about crime reform, or Common Platform more specifically, please use [email protected] to contact us.

I look forward to writing to you all again soon, and in the meantime, wish you all the best.

Daniel

Common Platform – an update (06.09.23)

Pre-recorded evidence (PRE) update.

As you may be aware, HMCTS is currently developing its own in-house technology to support the delivery of the pre-recorded evidence special measure, which is called PRE (pre-recorded evidence). PRE includes an application that will be used by court staff to book and make the recording; it also includes a new portal for advocates to view recordings.

The project to deliver PRE is in its second phase with seven early adopter courts ready to go-live with the new technology. Two courts have already gone live (Kingston and Leeds Crown Courts) and the next three courts go live this month. They are Liverpool on 12 September, Mold on 15 September and Nottingham on 18 September. This forms part of the ongoing testing of PRE, before a national rollout is considered.

 For the new PRE portal, advocates will need to register and create a portal account in order to be able to use the new service. HMCTS produced a webinar for advocates back in May (available on You Tube: HMCTS Pre Recorded Evidence PRE Portal training for advocates – YouTube) which provided an overview of the portal and how to register. We encourage any advocates who regularly work on pre-recorded evidence cases at the courts named above, to register for a portal account by emailing [email protected]

Common Platform – an update (24.07.23)

Essex Police Single Justice Service Common Platform Go Live

From 21st July, Essex Police will be the next police force to begin using Common Platform to prosecute traffic cases through the Single Justice Service (SJS), following Hampshire / Isle of Wight Police’s introduction to and use of the service.

The Single Justice Service allows magistrates’ courts to deal with minor, non-imprisonable offences, such as speeding or not having car insurance, in a way that’s quicker, more straightforward and more efficient, while still being fair, transparent and rigorous.

Defendants responding to a Single Justice Procedure charge are able to enter their plea online. This means they can resolve their case quickly, fairly and efficiently without needing to go to court.

What is the Single Justice Service?

The Single Justice Service, allows a single magistrate, aided by a legal advisor, to hear low-level cases where the defendant pleads guilty or has not responded to a charge (‘proof in absence’ cases).

These cases account for about 850,000 of criminal cases per annum, which almost exclusively result in a financial penalty.

The Single Justice Service offers defendants the option to plead online. This provides them with a more efficient service as they do not need to respond by letter or attend court, unless they want to contest the charge. Where a defendant has indicated a plea, they will no longer have to wait a minimum of 28 days for an outcome such as a fine, withdrawal or referral to open court. It also saves valuable court staff time by reducing the amount of processing and paperwork required in these cases.

Postal pleas will still be an option and defendants can still choose to request an open hearing in court whether they enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.

Our Courts and Tribunals Service Centres will allocate open hearings and also support defendants and magistrates’ courts using the process, rather than queries going to individual courts.

Moving Single Justice Service cases to Common Platform

The Single Justice Procedure is already available for police forces across England and Wales. The majority are currently dealt with via our legacy system Libra and defendants can plead online using ‘Make a Plea’ platform. As part of our plans to create a more efficient and streamlined justice service, these will move to Common Platform – as is already the case with Hampshire/ Isle of Wight Police Force.

From 21st July, Essex Police single justice cases will be managed using Common Platform and we plan to extend this to all police prosecutors by March 2025.

During this period, they also extend Common Platform Single Justice Service to more non-police prosecutors, such as local authorities and transport operators. Common Platform is already being used by courts across the country to process Transport for London, Merseyrail, TV Licensing and DVLA single justice cases, for example:

• using a television without a licence
• failing to show a valid train ticket while travelling on a train service.

I hope you find this update useful. If you have questions or require further information about the Single Justice Service or its use by Essex Police, please get in touch with us by emailing [email protected].

Common Platform – an update (13.07.23)

Courts in Gloucestershire going live with Common Platform

Please Register for a Common Platform Account

Common Platform – an update (03.07.23)

• Barkingside Magistrates’ Court
• Romford Magistrates’ Court
• Snaresbrook Crown Court
• Stratford Magistrates’ Court
• Thames Magistrates’ Court

As a defence professional in the region, we would like to ask you to register for the system now.

REGISTER FOR A COMMON PLATFORM ACCOUNT 

Common Platform is a criminal case management system for use by HMCTS staff, the judiciary, and professional court users – including barristers.

The system is already live in 92% of criminal courts across England and Wales. Common Platform will shortly be introduced to additional courts in London, so we encourage you to register your chambers for an account now.

WHY DO I NEED TO REGISTER?

Common Platform will be an essential tool for all defence barristers in the area. It will ultimately replace the existing software applications – Libra, XHIBIT, Bench, Court Store and Digital Mark-Up – with a single, streamlined system, which helps parties in a case to share the right information more easily and effectively.

As Common Platform goes live at each court, all defence solicitors and barristers involved in hearings at those courts will need to be registered for accounts. This will allow them to continue to work with the courts by:

• associating to a case / defendant so the Legal Aid Agency is informed for payment purposes
• self-serving case materials – including the Initial Details of the Prosecution Case (IDPC) and the Pre-Trial form (PET form) in the magistrates’ court
• serving documents on the court for Common Platform cases in the magistrates’ court.

For further information, watch this video introduction to Common Platform and our video guide on how to use it.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT

We require an administrator from each chambers to provide the organisation’s details, usernames and additional details of anyone who may need access. Please do this by completing the online spreadsheet.

Help and technical support can be found by telephoning 020 3989 6060, or emailing [email protected].

Common Platform – an update –  (16.06.23)

Common Platform – Digital PET and BCM forms to go live in the week beginning 12th June

Digitising PET and BCM forms communication from HMCTS

Common Platform – an update (08.06.23)

• The Central Criminal Court
• Southwark Crown Court
• Wood Green Crown Court
• City of London Magistrates’ Court
• City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court
• Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court

• associating to a case / defendant so the Legal Aid Agency is informed for payment purposes
• self-serving case materials – including the Initial Details of the Prosecution Case (IDPC) and the Pre-Trial form (PET form) in the magistrates’ court
• serving documents on the court for Common Platform cases in the magistrates’ court.

For further information, watch this video introduction to Common Platform and our video guide on how to use it.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT

We require an administrator from each chambers to provide the organisation’s details, usernames and additional details of anyone who may need access. Please do this by completing the online spreadsheet.

Help and technical support can be found by telephoning 020 3989 6060, or emailing [email protected].

Find out more about using Common Platform

• finding a case and fully accessing case details
• serving documents and uploading case materials
• checking in to a Common Platform hearing

Help and support

Common Platform – an update (22.05.23)

Improvements to Common Platform: changes to PET and BCM forms

Unfortunately it has been necessary for us to postpone these changes for the time being

Bulletin from HMCTS:

“As you know, we will be enhancing Common Platform by launching new digital versions of the Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms, and we had hoped to do so this week.

During final testing over the weekend, we identified issues with the release that meant the functionality was not working completely as it should. To make sure that these digital forms are performing as they need to, we’ve taken the decision to delay their introduction to get this right.

For now, please continue completing PET and BCM forms in the same way as you have done previously.

We are working to agree a revised date for implementation, and we will share this with you as soon as possible. Any preparation you have undertaken will obviously not go to waste and will be important when the new features are introduced.

We are sorry that we will not be able to introduce the new functionality as announced. We understand that this delay is frustrating – but must get the changes right to ensure that the system can operate effectively.

We very much appreciate the work that everyone has done to prepare. Please be assured that we will schedule the introduction of the new features as soon as we can, and we thank you for your patience.”

Common Platform – an update (12.05.23)

“an update for defence professionals – The system is now live in additional courts in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, and we are encouraging defence professionals based there to register in order that they can take advantage of the benefits”

Full information is here

Common Platform – an update (12.05.23)

Improvements to Common Platform: changes to PET and BCM forms

From Monday 22nd May, HM Courts & Tribunals Service will digitise the Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms used in magistrates’ court cases, and Common Platform users will be able to enter this data online. The new forms will be in use from Wednesday 24 May.

Common Platform will automatically generate a PDF document once each form is finalised in court and add it to the Case Material section.

Read guidance on how defence professionals can access and complete the revised PET and BCM forms.

You can also watch a video demonstrating how to use the digitised forms.

This change is part of work to link up Common Platform with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) case management system. The 2 applications will then be able to share information directly and securely. Further system improvements are scheduled to take place later in 2023.

Help and guidance for defence professionals using Common Platform

Get started using Common Platform to view and manage case details, or read guidance to find out more about using Common Platform effectively.

If you need help accessing case details, email the service centre or call 0330 808 4407.

You can also join one of HMCTS’ regular online support sessions for defence professionals.  The sessions take place on Tuesdays at 4:30pm and Thursdays at 9am.

Common Platform – an update (06.02.23)

“an update for defence professionals”

Full information is here

Common Platform – an update (21.02.22)

Full information is here

• Apple iOS and OSX updates have prevented Mac users from using ClickShare until a software fix is created by Barco and deployed by Vodafone support.
• High-resolution, complex video footage does not playback smoothly owing to the inherent technology deployed by ClickShare.

Update – Clickshare and CVP (29.01.21)

With so many developments in the Criminal Justice System’s increasing use of IT there is sometimes a lack of communication about what is happening and what may be about to.

This occasional series is intended to try to bridge that gap.

Clickshare

In its early days there were frequent complaints that “It doesn’t work with Macs”.  This actually wasn’t true, but the fault lay with the equipment in the courts not being updated as it should.  Recently however a problem has arisen.

The system was supposed to work by each dongle having the necessary software on it which would ‘play’ as soon as you plugged the dongle in.  With MacOS 10.16 [Catalina] and MacOS 11 [Big Sur] this has stopped working.

However there is a simple solution.

Go to https://www.barco.com/en/clickshare/app and download the app for yourself and follow the instructions to install it on your laptop.

Once you have done that, on the first occasion you run the software you need to enable screen recording on the MacBook for ClickShare.  See the Barco knowledge base guide:

https://www.barco.com/en/support/knowledge-base/kb9812

You just go to System Preferences, click on ‘Security and Privacy’ click on the ‘Privacy’ tab and scroll down the Apps in the left hand pane until you see ‘Screen Recording’ and select it.  Then just tick the checkbox next to ‘Clickshare App’in the righthand pane.

That’s it.  By the way, remember to have made sure you’ve selected ‘Clickshare’ in the Output tab in the ‘Sound’ menu in System Preferences so the sound plays through Clickshare and not from your laptop speakers [also to be found under the little loudspeaker icon top right of your menu bar, usually next to the Date and Time]

If you have ever downloaded the Clickshare App before and played it on your laptop you will need to make sure you have uninstalled the old version properly first.

A complete version of this solution can be found on the Midland Circuit Web Site: https://www.midlandcircuit.co.uk/downloads

Digital Presentation of Evidence

Clickshare was only ever intended as s stop-gap.  HMCTS developed a hard wired-alternative which has been trialled in Guildford Crown Court and seems a far better system.  The CBA collaborated with HMCTS to make a business case to the Treasury for the replacement of Clickshare with this.  We await the outcome.

CVP

Given that CVP was up and running within weeks of the court shutdown in 2020 it has worked surprisingly well, although not without its issues.

A replacement is in development and is about to be tested by members of the Bar.  We will keep you informed of developments.

Hunt the CVP link

Meanwhile, HMCTS have created a new form, Form 5009, to contain all CVP information for a case.  The suggestion is that it should be uploaded to Section X of the DCS to provide the CVP link for all hearings.  It is also suggested that it should be the national standard from 1^stFebruary.  However, given the ‘success’ of the diktat that the CVP link should always be on the “Front Page” or “Case Home” tab it remains to be seen whether all courts follow the same pattern.  The ambition is and to end those frantic 9:55 phone calls to your clerks, asking “where’s the CVP link for my hearing in five minutes?”

The Common Platform

You should have been receiving notifications for your registration for the Common Platform.  The latest email from HMCTS ends

“You can find our webinar and the latest version of the defence learning guide online, should you need to revisit any training needs.

If you have any questions about Common Platform, please do not hesitate to contact the Crime Programme at [email protected]”

It has been trialled in Derby and will shortly be trialled more widely around the country.  The ambition is for all court documents to be in one place and accessible.  The Crown Court Digital Case System will remain in place for some time but is to be re-designed to integrate with the Common Platform.  The Bar is currently working with HMCTS with a view to improving on the functionality and design of the DCS.

Update – Clickshare and Mac OS Big Sur (12.01.21)

With the advent of the CCDCS the Clickshare technology was installed to enable all advocates to present evidence from their own laptops using wireless technology.   It was installed to be used on the large screens which had been installed for remote defendants and witnesses

This was a remarkable innovation but was only a ‘stopgap’ solution for various reasons

Firstly, the technology was not designed to transmit and show reasonably high-definition video and as the resolution of video imagery has improved over the years the limitations of Clickshare have become more and more apparent and the resulting image is of poor resolution compared to the source.  This means that fact-finders in courts – the magistrates, judges and juries – often cannot see the detail upon which the prosecution case may rely.

Secondly, and more crucially, it depends upon the company which produces it to upgrade the software as various operating systems – Windows, Apple Macintosh – evolve.  We have now reached a point where the Clickshare manufacturers no longer update the software so that it runs on the latest Apple Mac operating systems and since the last-but-one iteration of the Mac OS was introduced – Mac OS Catalina (10.15) – there are problems with Clickshare not working on a Mac.  It seems that these problems have increased with the roll-out of Mac OS Big Sur (OS 11)

There is a workaround for Mac OS Catalina developed by the Midland Circuit Technology Officer but even that struggles with Big Sur.  If you have not already done so, do not upgrade to Big Sur if you want to use Clickshare.

A hardwired solution is both necessary and desirable to be able to preserve and transmit the high resolution which is available and to make all laptops usable in the courtroom.  HMCTS has developed a solution which provides for one HDMI cable to be available for the prosecution and a second, ‘mobile’ cable to be available for one or more defence advocates with the HDMI unit transmitting the signal.  This has been trialled at Guildford Crown Court and seems to be an ideal solution as the mobility of the second unit means it can be used wherever the defence advocate is socially-distanced-located, and furthermore it can be used successively by an unlimited number of other defence advocates in a multi-handed case.  This solves the problem of how many cables to install in each and every courtroom to cope with the possibility of any courtroom hearing a multi-handed case.

HMCTS are currently seeking funding to install this in all courtrooms and the CBA has assisted in making the business case to be submitted to the MoJ and the Treasury.

Update – DCS (12.12.20)

The DCS update scheduled for 16th November took place successfully and the changes to DCS, including the creation of the two unused disclosed sections have been completed. Unfortunately the corresponding update to the CPS case management system (CMS) didn’t go ahead due to technical issues and had to be rolled back.  Their release is far more complex than the one required for DCS and a further attempt to deploy took place over the weekend of the 5th and 6th December. Unfortunately that didn’t work either and so we have been left with no choice but to communicate the delay. The next date for release is now 2nd week in January, to be confirmed.

Update – PCU WIFI in HMCTS Buildings (11.11.20)

Update – Common Platform (21.04.20)

• https://www.barcouncilethics.co.uk/documents/videoconferencing-software-data-protection-and-confidentiality/

• https://www.barcouncilethics.co.uk/documents/ebundles/

Preparation

Have an active CJSM Secure Email account

• To access the DCS you will need to have a live CJSM account and will either need to sign-up to CJSM Secure email or re-set the password to “liven-up” the account if you have not used it for 90 days+, either:
• To sign-up to CJSM, go to www.cjsm.net and click on the “Apply Now” button (may take up to 10 days for an account)
• If your CJSM password has expired, ask your local CJSM Administrator to reset the account password.
• If you are a Defence firm with only a single registered CJSM account, but have a number of users who need to access the DCS, you must set-up individual CJSM accounts.

Access / Registration:

Register and log on to Professional Court User Wi-fi (PCU Wifi) 

• To access the DCS reliably in court you should use the Professional Court User Wifi (PCU Wifi) system. PCU Wifi is not yet available at Snaresbrook.

Using your personal CJSM email account, email [email protected] with the following information:

• Your name
• A phone/mobile number in case BT need to contact you
• An internet accessible email address, which will become your user name for PCU Wifi.  This could be your business email address or another email address which you can access via 3G/4G from the courtroom on your phone, just in case you forget your PCU Wifi password and you need BT to send you a temporary password. Please do not use your CJSM email address.

Register and log on to the Crown Court Digital Case System (DCS):

• To register for the Live site type, type in your browser: https://crowncourtdcs.caselines.co.uk following the steps provided in the ‘Next Steps’ Guide.

Access to a Case Set up on DCS:

• Within 3 days of the case having been sent to the Crown Court the case will be set up on the Digital Case System (DCS) by HMCTS.  The defence community will not be able to view case material on all cases uploaded to DCS, the process is as follows:

Step 1:

• The court will ‘invite’ the defence solicitors using the firm’s CJSM email address e.g. tuckers.co.uk.cjsm.net.  If after 3 days of the case being sent you find that you do not have access on DCS, contact the court using: [email protected]

Step 2:

• Once invited to have access to the case the defence solicitors will be responsible for inviting instructed counsel and chambers into the case. The defence solicitors will choose ‘people’ from the green button menu in DCS, and then select ‘invite new participant’ typing in the individuals full CJSM email address, and selecting their role ‘defence advocate’.

The same process will be followed for inviting in ‘chambers clerk(s) using their full CJSM email address.

Digital Sentencing Guidelines

Use of the Crown Court Digital System – Ethics

A full Guide is available

The Professional Court User Wi-Fi Guide is available

Windows 10 Outlook workaround available

Clickshare and Mac OS 10.14 Mojave

Training available:

Crown Court Digital Case System Training

In-Court Presentation

PCU-WiFi

Handouts Available:

Woolwich PowerPoint Presentation

Portsmouth Crown Court Guidance Notes

Criminal Legal Aid Applications and BCM (briefing for LITs)

His Honour Judge Martin Edmund QC – Guidance Notes

ClickShare Solution – Apple

Question and Answers – CPS Response

Video Links for Witnesses at Court

Evidence.com – Bodyworn evidence guide for Barristers

GovWifi in HMCTS courts

ClickShare Solution – MAC Catalina Software Workaround