Courts and Tribunals Bill: England and Wales criminal court reforms—no election for jury trial, extended magistrates’ sentencing, permission to appeal, Crown Court Bench Division and judge‑alone fraud trials
Published by a
LexisNexis Corporate Crime expert
Practice notes
The Courts and Tribunals Bill sets out sweeping changes to the criminal justice system in England and Wales, designed to cut backlogs and improve efficiency. For criminal practitioners, headline shifts include ending the option to elect a jury trial, widening the categories of cases that can be heard in the magistrates’ court, removing juries for certain either-way offences, overhauling how appeals to the Crown Court are made, and introducing judge-only trials for matters that are complex or lengthy. This Practice Note surveys the core proposals affecting the criminal justice system in England and Wales, considers how they may operate in practice, and clearly highlights potential benefits and drawbacks of the reform package across the jurisdiction as a whole today.
Background
The Courts and Tribunals Bill was brought forward amid what the UK government characterises as a criminal justice system ‘in crisis’, with a record queue of tens of thousands of unresolved Crown Court cases causing extended delays for victims, witnesses and defendants. To tackle these systemic pressures, the Lord Chancellor commissioned Sir Brian Leveson, a retired senior judge, to undertake an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Sir Leveson’s comprehensive, independent, significant and wide-ranging review by him, published in...
To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.
Web page updated on 22/05/2026
Popular documents
When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
Discover more from LexisNexis
