Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court – Message to Members’

We are aware of communication from HMCTS suggesting Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court intend to operate on two days from 4pm until 8pm.

We would like to reassure our members and wider practitioners that they are not obliged, contractually or otherwise to attend court out of hours. We are mindful of the disruptive and harmful impact working outside normal hours has on practitioners, both personally and professionally particularly on those with caring responsibilities.

We do not accept there is any justification for a departure from normal court hours, nor have we seen an impact assessment preceding the HMCTS communication.

Previous consultations conducted by the MOJ/HMCTS have resolutely rejected extended operating hours. We will be writing to HMCTS and HCMC to ask for the decision, consultation and impact assessment and will raise our objection to discriminatory court sitting hours.

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