Her Majesty's Courts Service
Encyclopedia
Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) is an executive agency
of the Ministry of Justice
(MoJ) and is responsible for the administration of the civil, family and criminal courts in England and Wales
.
It was created by the amalgamation of the Magistrates' Courts Service and the Court Service as a result of the Unified Courts Administration Programme. It came into being on 1 April 2005, bringing together the Magistrates' Courts Service and the Courts Service in to a single organisation. On 1 April 2011 it merged with the Tribunals Service
to form Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
, the High Court
, the Crown Court
, the Magistrates' Court
s, the County Court
s and the Probate Service in England and Wales
.
When established court services were administered by 7 regions responsible for 42 local areas. In 2007 this structure was re-organised by reducing the number of areas to 24. The areas are managed by Area Directors, responsible for the delivery of local services. They work in partnership with Courts Boards
to ensure that the Agency is focussed on its customers and is meeting local needs.
"Justice for all", published in 2002, recommended that a single agency should be developed to support the delivery of justice in all courts in England and Wales
, instead of the Magistrates' Courts Service
and the Court Service
being administered separately.
The Courts Act 2003 created the legal framework required to make the changes. The focus of the Programme was to devise a system which would offer improved and consistent services to court users by providing:
On 31 March 2005, responsibility for the 42 existing Magistrates’ Courts Committees and Court Service passed to Her Majesty’s Courts Service.
Executive agency
An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland...
of the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
(MoJ) and is responsible for the administration of the civil, family and criminal courts in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
.
It was created by the amalgamation of the Magistrates' Courts Service and the Court Service as a result of the Unified Courts Administration Programme. It came into being on 1 April 2005, bringing together the Magistrates' Courts Service and the Courts Service in to a single organisation. On 1 April 2011 it merged with the Tribunals Service
Tribunals Service
The Tribunals Service was an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice in the United Kingdom between April 2006 and March 2011.The Tribunals Service was responsible for:*Adjudicator for HM Land Registry*Asylum and Immigration Tribunal...
to form Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. It was created on 1 April 2011 by the merger of Her Majesty's Courts Service and the Tribunals Service....
HMCS Structure
Her Majesty's Courts Service carries out the administration and support for the Court of AppealCourt of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
, the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, the Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, the Magistrates' Court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
s, the County Court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
s and the Probate Service in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
.
When established court services were administered by 7 regions responsible for 42 local areas. In 2007 this structure was re-organised by reducing the number of areas to 24. The areas are managed by Area Directors, responsible for the delivery of local services. They work in partnership with Courts Boards
Courts Boards
Courts Boards to work with Her Majesty's Courts Service in the United Kingdom to improve administration of the courts. Schedule 1 to the Courts Act 2003 made provision for the establishment of Court Boards. There are currently 21 Court Boards...
to ensure that the Agency is focussed on its customers and is meeting local needs.
Unified Courts Administration Programme
The Government White PaperWhite paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
"Justice for all", published in 2002, recommended that a single agency should be developed to support the delivery of justice in all courts in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, instead of the Magistrates' Courts Service
Magistrates' courts' committees
From 1949 to 2005, magistrates' courts' committees had overall responsibility for management of the magistrates' courts service within their areas in England and Wales.-Origin:...
and the Court Service
Court Service
Court Service may refer to any of the following institutions:*Jury duty, relating to jury service*Her Majesty's Courts Service, agency responsible for Courts administration in England and Wales*Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service...
being administered separately.
The Courts Act 2003 created the legal framework required to make the changes. The focus of the Programme was to devise a system which would offer improved and consistent services to court users by providing:
- A single national agency solely responsible for the delivery of court services with improved and more consistent level of service to court users
- More resources available to support the delivery of justice
- Greater flexibility in the use of court buildings.
On 31 March 2005, responsibility for the 42 existing Magistrates’ Courts Committees and Court Service passed to Her Majesty’s Courts Service.
See also
- Departments of the United Kingdom GovernmentDepartments of the United Kingdom GovernmentHer Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Cabinet ministers who are usually called secretaries of state when they are in charge of Government departments called ministerial departments...
- Courts of England and WalesCourts of England and WalesHer Majesty's Courts of Justice of England and Wales are the civil and criminal courts responsible for the administration of justice in England and Wales; they apply the law of England and Wales and are established under Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The United Kingdom does not have...
- List of Courts in England and Wales
- Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
- Scottish Court ServiceScottish Court ServiceThe Scottish Court Service is the body which is responsible for the administration of the Court system in Scotland. The Service employs over 1000 staff members in Scotland's 49 Sheriff Courts, the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary, Justice of the Peace Courts and at the Service's HQ...