COVID-19: Magistrates’ Court 24.03.20
We can now confirm the position regarding attending the Magistrates’ Court.
Magistrates’ Courts will only be hearing urgent cases today.
Parties involved in all other hearings should not attend court unless they are contacted directly and will be notified of a new date for their hearing.
HMCTS have advised that this is a fluid situation and may change quickly.
We confirm that work which is classified as urgent is as follows:
CPS work
All custody cases, to include:
– Overnight custody cases from police stations (inc. arrest warrants and breach of bail cases)
– Productions from prisons (but custody trials not to proceed)
– Applications to extend custody time limits
Terrorism and extradition (Westminster MC)
– Arrest warrants issued under the Extradition Act
– In hours and out of hours terrorism applications
Central / Local Government
– Civil applications relating to public health legislation, particularly under the Coronavirus (Emergency) Act 2020
Police
– Warrants of further detention (police and HMRC)
– Closure order applications
– Urgent applications for DVPOs
– Urgent applications for rights of entry / search warrants