MPs want review into our county courts now

AN urgent review into the “dysfunctional” county courts system suffering from “systemic delays” is needed, MPs have warned.

- By Anahita Hossein-Pour

The Commons Justice Committee said it was hard to understand why civil justice proceedings still relied on paper files which must be posted around the country, causing serious delays.

A small claims case for £10,000 or less typically takes a year to be heard, said a report.

County courts were dubbed the “Cinderella service” of the justice system, gaining little attention compared with reviews looking at court reform and sentencing.