Welcome to the national index of magistrates’ court hearing lists for England and Wales. From here you can open any local court and check who’s in magistrates’ court today — the cases listed, the courtroom each one will be heard in and the scheduled start time. Every hearing list is published court by court and updated each working day, so the schedule you are looking at is the live one rather than an old copy.
What a Magistrates’ Court Hearing List Shows
A daily list is the court’s own published schedule of the cases due to be heard. Under the open justice principle, this information is made public so that defendants, the media and legal professionals can all see what is happening in court. Each entry on a magistrates’ court list usually sets out:
The full name of the defendant
Who is bringing the prosecution (for example, the Crown Prosecution Service or a local authority)
The courtroom in which the case is listed
The time the hearing is scheduled to start
The case reference or Unique Reference Number (URN)
Cases involving children, and most overnight custody hearings, are not published for legal and safeguarding reasons. It is also worth remembering that these are schedules of what is due to be heard — they do not contain verdicts or sentences. For magistrates’ court hearing results, you would need to attend the hearing in person or contact the relevant court directly.
Which Cases Are Heard in a Magistrates’ Court?
Magistrates’ courts are the first tier of the criminal justice system in England and Wales, and virtually every criminal case starts here. Cases are decided by a bench of two or three magistrates (Justices of the Peace) or by a single district judge, and there is no jury. The work falls into three broad groups:
Summary offences
The least serious matters, such as most motoring offences, minor criminal damage, low-level public order and being drunk and disorderly. These are dealt with entirely in the magistrates’ court.
Either-way offences
Mid-range matters such as theft, burglary, drugs offences and some assaults, which can be heard either in the magistrates’ court or sent up to the Crown Court.
Indictable-only offences
The most serious crimes, such as robbery, rape and murder. These have their first hearing in the magistrates’ court before being committed to the Crown Court.
Magistrates also decide whether a defendant is released on bail or kept in custody, and they sentence those who are convicted — with powers of up to six months in prison for a single summary offence and up to 12 months for either-way offences, alongside fines and community orders. When their sentencing powers are not enough, a case is passed to the Crown Court.
How to Find Out Who’s in Court Today
To check the magistrates’ court list for a specific area, choose the court you need and open its page — for example, Manchester Magistrates’ Court — then view the hearing list for the date you want. Lists for the next sitting day are normally published at the end of the working day before, and Monday’s lists (together with any Saturday courts) are usually released on the Friday. Each list stays available for that day’s hearings, giving you an up-to-date view of the cases in court today.
Who Relies on These Court Lists?
Daily magistrates’ court listings are used every weekday by a wide range of people:
Defendants and their families — confirming when and where to attend
Solicitors, barristers and legal clerks — managing caseloads and tracking hearings
Journalists and court reporters — covering local cases as they are heard
Victims, witnesses and the public — exercising the right to open and transparent justice
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out who’s in magistrates’ court today?
Open the page for the court you are interested in and view its daily hearing list. The list shows each defendant’s name, the courtroom, the scheduled time and the prosecuting authority for every case listed that day.
Are magistrates’ court hearing results shown in the lists?
No. The lists are schedules of cases due to be heard, not records of the outcome. To find the result of a particular hearing you would need to attend in person or contact the court directly.
Why can’t I see a particular case on the list?
Cases involving children and most overnight custody hearings are not published. Lists can also change at short notice, and some matters are added or moved to a different courtroom during the day.
What is the difference between magistrates’ court and Crown Court listings?
Magistrates’ courts handle summary offences, many either-way cases and the first hearing of serious offences, while the Crown Court deals with jury trials and the sentencing of the most serious matters. The more serious cases can be followed on the Crown Court listings.
