Delays, rats and outdated paper processes
The County Court is falling short in delivering fair and timely justice and requires urgent reform, a new report by the Justice Committee warns this week.
In a scathing assessment of the court’s performance, MPs describe the County Court as “dysfunctional” and warn that delays and inefficiencies have become entrenched, leaving litigants facing significant obstacles in accessing justice. The Committee has called for a “comprehensive, root-and-branch” review of the system to be underway by spring next year.
The report slams the Ministry of Justice’s long-running Reform programme, which aimed to modernise court services but has left behind “a myriad of incompatible systems” and an overreliance on outdated paper-based processes. “The Reform programme was over-ambitious and ultimately under-delivered in its digital transformation,” the report states.
MPs were especially concerned about the continued dependence on physical files that are moved between locations, causing costly delays.
Court infrastructure was another major area of concern. Years of “chronic” underinvestment have left court buildings in poor condition, including reports of asbestos and rat infestations. The Committee warns that deteriorating facilities are harming both staff morale and public trust, and it calls on HMCTS to publish a detailed breakdown of how its £220 million capital budget for 2023–2025 has been allocated.
In terms of court performance, the data paints a bleak picture. Between January and March 2025, the average time from issue to trial was nearly 50 weeks for small claims and almost 75 weeks for more complex cases. While the pandemic worsened the backlog, MPs say the problems long predated the pandemic.
Chair of the Committee, Labour MP Andy Slaughter, said: “The conclusions of our report make for stark reading: the County Court is a dysfunctional system, that has failed adequately to deliver civil justice across England and Wales.”
He continued: “With over a million claims each year and a vast jurisdiction, the County Court is where most citizens and businesses encounter the justice system, yet it is beset by unacceptable delays, recruitment and retention issues across frontline staff and the Judiciary, and a complex ‘patchwork’ of paper-based and digital systems.”
The Committee argues that digital reform must be approached differently going forward. New systems should be developed in collaboration with court users and thoroughly tested before rollout. It also recommends implementing a unified case management system that integrates legacy platforms and offers real-time case updates.
On listings and case management, the report raises concerns over block listing practices and urges better data collection to reduce inefficiencies. It also calls for litigants to be reimbursed for wasted costs when cases are adjourned due to poor scheduling or administrative issues.
Remote hearings are seen as part of the solution, and MPs encourage the MoJ and judiciary to work together on national guidance to ensure appropriate and consistent use of virtual hearings.
The report also highlights issues in communication and accessibility. Centralisation of court operations has, according to MPs, exacerbated delays and created a postcode lottery. It recommends better integration between local courts and national business centres, and greater support for litigants-in-person through accessible resources and guidance.
The Committee is particularly critical of staffing and judicial recruitment challenges, warning that the bench is no longer attracting top talent. “The civil judiciary is no longer an attractive profession,” the report says, calling for urgent action to tackle recruitment and retention shortfalls.
As part of the proposed review, MPs also recommend a full evaluation of mandatory mediation and a formal consultation on how artificial intelligence could be used to improve County Court efficiency. They urge the MoJ to publish its AI strategy by the end of 2026.
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