‘Dysfunctional' county courts need urgent review
The Commons Justice Committee said it was difficult to understand why the civil justice proceedings still relied on paper files which need to be posted around the country, causing serious delays.
Latest data shows that a small claims case for £10,000 or less takes nearly a year on average to be heard, according to the report published on Monday.
County courts were described as the 'Cinderella service' of the justice system, gaining little attention compared with the reviews currently in the criminal justice system looking at sentencing and court reform.
The report cited examples of asbestos and rat infestations in court buildings, and the committee was concerned by the lack of action taken by HM Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) over the conditions.
Justice Committee chairman 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.
'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 Labour MP added that the causes of the inefficiencies and delays follow years of underfunding.
The committee said it was unclear if any of the £220 million of funding given to the courts service between August 2023 and March 2025 had been spent on the county courts.
Mr Slaughter added: 'The Justice Committee recommends an urgent and comprehensive, root-and-branch review of the county court launched by spring 2026 to establish a sustainable plan for reducing the systemic delays and inefficiencies entrenched across its operations.
'It is not tenable to continue without fundamental reform.'
The 173 county courts across England and Wales can deal with legal proceedings ranging from homelessness and medical negligence claims to bankruptcy and anti-social behaviour orders.
Responding to the committee's findings, the Law Society of England and Wales president Richard Atkinson said: 'Every one of us should have access to swift and fair justice. County courts provide a vital public service for communities and businesses of all sizes. But right now, the wheels of justice are turning too slowly, causing backlogs that have a devastating impact on the people caught in them.
'Court buildings need repairs, systems and technology must be fit for purpose, and civil legal aid needs urgent investment across all areas.
'If the Government properly funded our courts and those who work in them, thousands of people would be freed from the legal limbo caused by long waits.'
The Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the findings of the Justice Committee's report will be considered and there will be a response in due course.
The spokesperson said: 'We are tackling the delays in the County Court system by investing in the recruitment of up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members this year across all courts and tribunals, funding 74,300 sitting days in the Civil Courts for 2025/26 and holding more remote hearings.
'We have also driven digitisation of the system to remove paper processes and improve user experience.'
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