Crown Court Listings

This page brings together daily Crown Court hearing lists from court centres across England and Wales, organised by location so you can quickly see where cases are being heard. Each centre links through to its own schedule, showing the number of hearings published for the day and the date of the latest update. Whether you are a reporter, a law student, a defendant, a witness or simply following a particular case, the directory below is refreshed every day with the most recent cause lists.

What a Crown Court Cause List Tells You

A cause list — also called a daily list or court diary — is the official schedule of hearings for a single working day. It sets out the courtroom number, the case or defendant name, the type of hearing and, where published, the listed start time. His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) produces these schedules through the listing office at each venue, under the direction of the Resident Judge, and they are released throughout the day. The list for the following day is usually available by late afternoon. Because court business moves quickly, individual cases can be added, moved between courtrooms or adjourned at short notice.

How Cases Reach the Crown Court

Almost every prosecution begins lower down the system before arriving here. Matters are sent up after a first appearance recorded in the magistrates’ court listings, either because the charge is an indictable-only offence — such as murder, rape or robbery — or because an either-way offence has been sent for trial by jury. Defendants convicted by magistrates can also be committed to the Crown Court for sentence, and anyone unhappy with a magistrates’ decision may bring an appeal, which is reheard before a judge sitting with two lay magistrates.

Types of Hearing You Will See

• Plea and Trial Preparation Hearings (PTPHs) — where a defendant enters a plea and a timetable for the case is set.
• Trials — heard before a judge and a jury of twelve, covering the most serious charges.
• Sentencing hearings — including cases committed for sentence from the magistrates’ court.
• Appeals — against conviction or sentence imposed by magistrates.
• Mentions and case-management hearings — short administrative listings to progress a case.
• Confiscation and Proceeds of Crime hearings — dealing with the recovery of criminal assets.

A Brief History of the Court

The modern Crown Court is younger than many of the historic buildings it occupies. It was created by the Courts Act 1971 and began sitting on 1 January 1972, replacing the old assizes and quarter sessions after a royal commission chaired by Lord Beeching recommended a single, unified structure. Today it forms one of the three Senior Courts of England and Wales, alongside the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with the most serious cases ultimately appealable to the Court of Appeal.

Crown Court Centres Across England and Wales

The Crown Court sits at more than seventy venues nationwide, from busy metropolitan centres such as Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Snaresbrook and Southwark to smaller regional courts. The best known of all is the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), which serves the City of London and hears many of the country’s highest-profile trials. Venues are arranged into three tiers, reflecting whether High Court judges attend for the most serious Class 1 work, or whether circuit judges and recorders carry the caseload.

Visiting a Crown Court

Opening Hours and Access

Most Crown Court buildings open to the public from around 9am, with hearings generally listed from 10am and the working day finishing by about 5pm. Under the principle of open justice, members of the public and the press are entitled to watch proceedings from the public gallery in the majority of cases, although hearings involving children or sensitive evidence may be held in private.

Before You Travel

• Check the latest list on the day itself, as courtrooms and times can change without notice.
• Allow time for airport-style security screening at the entrance.
• Bring photo ID if you are attending as a party, witness or legal representative.
• Recording, filming and photography inside the building are strictly prohibited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Crown Court listings public?

Yes. The listings are drawn from publicly available HMCTS sources and reflect the principle that justice is administered in open court, so anyone can view them.

What time are tomorrow’s Crown Court lists published?

Lists are released throughout the day, and the schedule for the next working day is normally available by late afternoon — typically by around 5pm — though exact timings vary from court to court.

Can you watch Crown Court cases online?

Crown Court trials are not routinely streamed. To follow a case you generally need to attend in person and sit in the public gallery, although sentencing remarks in a small number of high-profile cases have been broadcast.

What is the difference between the Crown Court and a magistrates’ court?

A magistrates’ court handles less serious offences and the early stages of nearly all prosecutions, while the Crown Court deals with the most serious charges, holds jury trials and hears appeals against magistrates’ decisions.

How do I find a specific case or defendant?

Open the relevant court centre from the list above and look through that day’s schedule for the case or defendant name. If a matter is not showing, it may be listed on another day, held at a different venue, or subject to reporting restrictions.