Overview

• HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has officially replaced the phrase 'All rise' with 'All rise, if able' in courts across England and Wales.
• The change aims to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities attending court proceedings.
• The updated phrase will be used at the start of every hearing, regardless of whether disabled individuals are present.
• This adjustment has been formalized in the Equal Treatment Bench Book, which provides guidance on accommodating diverse needs in courtrooms.
• Critics, including MP Jack Rankin and Reform UK’s Richard Tice, have labeled the change as unnecessary and an example of 'virtue-signalling.'