Reforms to quicken magistrates' courts hearings will be rolled out to all 360 courts in England and Wales by the end of the year, the Lord Chancellor announced last week.


The changes to reduce the time taken to resolve cases and the number of court hearings follow the success of four pilots, which saw a 30% rise in guilty pleas and a 70% reduction in the number of adjournments at first hearing.



The pilots focused on improved prosecution and defence preparation, effective first hearings and robust case management.

Lord Falconer did not rule out the possibility of some court closures.



Catherine Baksi