Justice could be served in the pub, judge hints

COURT cases could be held in pubs and hotels in a bid to save money, the country’s most senior judge indicated yesterday.

Ministers are looking at alternative venues for trials and other legal hearings under controversial plans to close 86 courts in England and Wales – about 20 per cent – to free up £700million for new technology to modernise the justice system.

Justice Secretary Michael Gove is already considering setting up magistrates’ courts in universities, community centres and town halls. But yesterday Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas appeared to agree that some cases, notably family and other civil hearings, could also be held in pubs and hotels.

When he appeared before the Commons’ justice select committee, he was asked by Conservative MP Victoria Prentis: ‘Would it be possible to have courts in other places, possibly that come to us once a week or once a fortnight, and hold it in a local civic building or hotel or pub? Is that something you are keen on?’

Lord Thomas replied: ‘Yes. I looked yesterday at reports and pictures of a judge who was experimenting doing family and civil cases and he was sitting behind trestle tables in a public room to which the public had access. His account of it was that it went very well. Civic buildings are not used to the full extent and we are looking how we can address that issue.’