Mounting court backlogs continue to deny fair justice for all

News

New criminal court statistics for October to December 2025, published today (Thursday, 26 March), show rising backlogs in both the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts and growing delays.

During this quarter, there were 379,437 outstanding cases in the magistrates’ court and 80,203 in the Crown Court, of which 21,002 cases have been open for a year or more.*

“Sustained financial investment and system‑wide reform are needed to tackle the appalling backlogs in the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts,” said Law Society of England and Wales president Mark Evans.

“Trials pushed years into the future, place extraordinary burdens on victims, witnesses and defendants, while long delays erode public confidence in our justice system.

“It is the public who are paying the price for a system that the UK government has chosen to leave without the resources it needs to function.

“While the Courts and Tribunals Bill progresses, cutting jury trials would do little to ease the backlog. The statistics show that moving more cases from the Crown Court to the magistrates’ court is not the answer, as magistrates are already overwhelmed and facing growing delays of their own.

“For years, chronic underfunding has left courts unable to fully serve the public. Buildings are deteriorating, technology fails too often, and essential staff are in short supply.

“Reducing the backlog is an investment in the public good and communities rely on a functioning criminal justice system to deliver safety fairness and accountability.”

Notes to editors

*See the latest figures, which show 379,437 outstanding cases in the magistrates’ court and 80,203 in the Crown Court, of which 21,002 cases have been open for a year or more.