HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has introduced a portal function enabling HMCTS caseworkers to adjourn hearings directly within the system to align with List Assist and ensure accurate recording of hearing information. Caseworkers can select and record the reason for adjournment, which is reflected in both the adjournment notice and the hearings tab, and where a further hearing is required, they may create the new hearing notice within the same event by entering the next hearing details. When a hearing is adjourned, automated notifications are issued to parties served with the original listing, with solicitors notified by email and litigants in person sent a copy of the adjournment notice by post; if the hearing is re-listed using the adjourn function, the new hearing notice is issued separately and recipients are determined by the caseworker, ensuring the court retains control over confidentiality and portal visibility. The changes are intended to maintain accurate and up-to-date hearing records, improve administrative efficiency by removing the need for external steps such as general orders, and reduce delays in notifying parties of case progress.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has published a release note introducing a new feature on the Financial Remedy Service portal that allows solicitors to remove themselves from a financial remedy case without contacting the court. This replaces the previous requirement to notify the court. Under the new system, solicitors select the ‘stop representing a client’ event from the drop down menu, enter the client’s address for service, confirm whether the details should be withheld from the other party and certify either client consent to them coming off the record or a judicial direction permitting their removal. If neither condition is met, the event cannot be completed. Once submitted, the solicitor is immediately removed from the case, access is revoked and the case record is updated to reflect the client’s contact details. An email notification is then issued to the solicitor confirming their removal from the case and listing the parties and case number. HMCTS states that the update increases solicitor autonomy and operational efficiency by enabling real time updates, immediate removal from cases, streamlined workflows and reduced reliance on court staff intervention.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued 'hints and tips' for practitioners when emailing the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC), including the correct email addresses for proceedings issued before the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) came into force (divorcecase@justice.gov.uk) and proceedings issued after DDSA 2020 came into force (contactdivorce@justice.gov.uk). As the CTSC email sorting system does not look at an attachment for the name of that attachment, but rather at the subject line and the first couple of lines of the email body, tips to ensure that emails are sorted into the correct folder at the CTSC include ensuring that the subject title contains both what the email is in relation to and the case number, for example 'Re: [16-digit reference number] – marriage certificate'.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued an advance notice to the Employment Tribunals National User Group that, from 3 November 2025, the London Central Employment Tribunal will transition to a centralised telephony system. Direct telephone calls to tribunal offices will cease, and all enquiries must be directed to the HMCTS National Services Contact Centre on 0300 323 0196. Contact centre staff have been trained in Employment Tribunal procedures and will provide procedural guidance and case updates, though they will not be able to offer legal advice. This change forms part of HMCTS’s strategy to centralise communications, allowing tribunal offices to concentrate on hearings and administrative functions. The contact centre will operate Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm, excluding bank holidays. Existing contact methods should continue to be used until the transition date.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued guidance for barristers using the financial remedy contested system, together with a  Welsh translation. The guidance confirms that barristers cannot use notice of change via manage cases to access a contested case like solicitors can, but barristers can be added and removed to have the same access and functionality on digital cases as solicitors do. Access for barristers is provided in two ways. When instructed by a solicitor, barristers will be added by their instructing solicitors using ‘manage barristers’. When barristers are instructed directly on direct access cases, barristers should send a notice of acting to the court dealing with the case including their name, address, email address and organisation details. The court administration will then add access for the barrister using the ‘manage barristers’ function. HMCTS has scheduled a financial remedy webinar for solicitors on 5 February 2025 at 12pm. The webinar will focus on the newly implemented upload draft order function and will also address common mistakes encountered during the process.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has published guidance for legal professionals on issuing and managing specified online money claims through the MyHMCTS platform. The guidance outlines that claims up to £25,000 can be processed against represented or unrepresented defendants, provided they are for specified amounts, in English and do not fall under CPR 8 (alternative procedure for claims). The system requires legal representatives to be registered before issuing a claim. Detailed guidance is provided for issuing and managing claims as a legal professional.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) have alerted probate professionals, who submit applications on MyHMCTS, that they must include a code from HMRC confirming that the inheritance tax affairs have been settled. Applications without a code will not be accepted in order to reduce the number of stopped applications. This applies from Thursday 18 January 2024.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has issued updated guidance for the Damages Claims pilot scheme under CPR PD 51ZB. HMCTS has confirmed that the update deals with selecting the case type, choosing the court location, receiving notifications, searching for the claimant's legal representative, adding the defendant's legal representative, providing the particulars of claim and other documents, paying the claim fee (including details of the PBA payment) and confirmation of the claim. Guidance has also been added on getting help with managing a case on MyHMCTS and accessing the account.

His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has announced a significant update to the Court of Protection Practice Direction 9H, enforceable from 4 December 2024, compelling legal professionals to digitally submit property and affairs deputyship applications to the UK government website, via its online submission portal. With regards to any paper applications submitted after the implementation date, it is unlikely that authorisation to recover costs of making the application from the estate of P will be granted. Although litigants in person are encouraged to submit digitally, mandation of the submission portal will only apply to professional court users.

HMCTS has announced that all Employment Tribunal online services (affecting submission of ET1s, ET3s and digital applications) will be subject to a planned upgrade between 20:30 on Thursday 18th April – 08:00 on Friday 19th April.

HMCTS has announced that all Employment Tribunal online services (affecting submission of ET1s, ET3s and digital applications) will be subject to a planned upgrade between 8.30 pm on Monday 22 April 2024 to 3 am on Tuesday 23 April 2024.

On 5 July 2021, a new Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC) opened in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester. This is the fourth CTSC to open as part of HMCTS's reform programme, adding to CTSCs in Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham and Loughborough.