Overview
- Total Crown Court sitting days rise to 111,250 this financial year, up 5,000 on last year and the highest on record, according to the Ministry of Justice.
- Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy announced the increase at the opening of the legal year, citing a backlog exceeding 78,000 cases.
- Victims and defendants continue to face multi-year delays, with judges apologising as trials are listed into 2027–2029, including cases at Isleworth Crown Court.
- The Law Society called the extra days a welcome step but urged investment across the entire criminal justice pipeline to reduce long-term backlogs.
- The government is considering recommendations from Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review of the criminal courts, with further reforms expected to be set out in due course.