Overview

• The Justice Secretary announced 110,000 sitting days for crown court judges in the next financial year, a 4,000-day increase from last year, to address case delays.
• Despite the increase, the backlog of cases, now at 73,105 as of September 2024, is expected to grow due to the high volume of new cases entering the system.
• The Leveson Review, expected this spring, will explore reforms such as expanding magistrates' court jurisdiction and creating intermediary courts to alleviate crown court pressures.
• Funding for court maintenance will rise from £120 million to £148.5 million, but critics note this is a fraction of the £1.3 billion needed for repairs across the system.
• Victims Commissioner and legal professionals have called for emergency funding for victim support services and uncapped court sitting days to better address delays.