HM Courts Service

Her Majesty's Courts Service carried out the administration and support for the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Crown Court, the magistrates' courts, the county courts and the Probate Service in England and Wales.

When established court services were administered by seven 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.

The Government White Paper "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 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:

• 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.

• Departments of the United Kingdom Government
• Courts of England and Wales
• List of Courts in England and Wales
• Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
• Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service

• HM Courts and Tribunals Service (England and Wales)