Courts & Bar · Guidance
Court Guidance
The Circuit's hub for guidance affecting practice on the South Eastern Circuit — court-specific listing policies and consolidated procedural notes, profession-wide Bar Council guidance, and the most recent releases. Members are responsible for checking court websites for the most current version of any guidance.
Judiciary Guidance
Practice directions, statutory guidance and protocols issued by the senior judiciary, applying across the criminal courts. Linked to their authoritative sources on judiciary.uk so the current version is always the one you read.
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary · Takes effect 1st October 2026
Practice Direction on Listing in the Criminal Courts
Issued by the Lady Chief Justice, this establishes the National Listing Framework and applies to the Crown Court and the magistrates' courts with effect from 1st October 2026, replacing paragraphs 5.6 to 5.16 of the Criminal Practice Directions 2023 together with any local listing practices. Cases are allocated to one of seven priority tiers by reference to the human impact of delay rather than the seriousness of the offence alone, and all trials are listed as either a Fixed Date or a Flexible Date. The familiar language of backers, floaters and priority floaters goes. Each Crown Court centre must submit a draft Court Listing Plan to the Presiding Judges within six months and publish the approved version within nine.
Read on judiciary.uk →
Lady Chief Justice · To be implemented by 1st October 2026
Live Links in Criminal Courts: Guidance issued by the Lady Chief Justice
Statutory guidance issued by the Lady Chief Justice under section 51(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, replacing the 2022 guidance and to be implemented by 1st October 2026. Annex A sets out a presumptive framework by participant and hearing type: in the Crown Court, defendants and advocates ordinarily attend the PTPH and trial in person, while other preliminary hearings ordinarily proceed by live link. Where the framework indicates remote attendance, no prior application is needed. Where it indicates attendance in person, a party seeking to appear remotely must apply in advance. Administrative convenience alone is not a sufficient reason for a direction.
Read on judiciary.uk →
LCJ & Senior President of Tribunals · July 2026
Protocol for legal professionals wishing to raise concerns informally about judicial behaviour
Issued jointly by the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals in July 2026, this puts in writing a route that has long existed informally. It covers less serious matters, such as an isolated loss of temper or an ill-judged remark, and offers two routes: speaking to the judge directly in private after the hearing has concluded, or approaching their leadership judge, either yourself or through a senior member of the profession. The Circuit Leader is named as someone who can make that approach on your behalf. The protocol sits alongside the formal complaints route and does not replace it: more serious concerns, including repeated bullying or a pattern of harassment, should go to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.
Read on judiciary.uk →
Chief Coroner · July 2026
Protocol for legal professionals wishing to raise concerns informally about coroner behaviour
Issued by the Chief Coroner, this mirrors the judicial behaviour protocol above and applies the same informal route in the coroners' courts. It is intended for less serious matters, and offers the same graduated approach: raising the concern with the coroner directly, or through a senior member of the profession. It sits alongside the formal complaints process rather than replacing it.
Read on judiciary.uk →
Crown Court Guidance
Centre-specific listing policies and consolidated procedural notes issued by the Crown Courts of the Circuit. Members should always check the relevant court website for the most current version.
Guidance Note · January 2026
Canterbury Crown Court — Consolidated Guidance Note
A consolidated note covering listing, applications, and procedural matters at Canterbury Crown Court.
Download Word document →
Listing Policy · December 2025
Ipswich Crown Court — Listing Policy
Listing policy at Ipswich Crown Court, in force as of 19th December 2025.
Download Word document →
Bar Council Guidance
Profession-wide guidance from the Bar Council that bears on day-to-day practice on the Circuit.
Bar Council · Generative AI · November 2025
Considerations when using ChatGPT and generative AI
The Bar Council's guidance on the use of large language model systems in legal practice — covering professional responsibility, hallucinations, confidentiality, and the professional consequences of misuse. Updated 25th November 2025 in light of recent High Court judgments on the use of AI in legal proceedings.
Download PDF →
Bar Council · Report · July 2026
‘Delays are now endemic’: barristers’ observations on the late delivery of prisoners to court
The Bar Council's July 2026 report, drawing on 213 reports of late prisoner delivery made by barristers between 12th February and 8th June 2026 across all six circuits, at an average of thirteen a week. Most came from the South Eastern Circuit: 97 reports, more than double any other circuit, with Winchester featuring prominently as both a court and a prison. A quarter of respondents reported delays of over five hours, and 69 per cent rated the impact on the running of their case at four or five out of five. The report sets that against official contractual performance figures of over 99 per cent, and argues the right measure is delay to cases rather than cancellation of them. The reporting form remains open.
Read on barcouncil.org.uk →
Bar Standards Board Guidance
Regulatory guidance from the Bar Standards Board bearing on professional conduct and day-to-day practice on the Circuit.
Recent Releases
The latest guidance published across the Circuit, newest first.
Chief Coroner · July 2026
Protocol for legal professionals wishing to raise concerns informally about coroner behaviour
Issued by the Chief Coroner, this mirrors the judicial behaviour protocol above and applies the same informal route in the coroners' courts. It is intended for less serious matters, and offers the same graduated approach: raising the concern with the coroner directly, or through a senior member of the profession. It sits alongside the formal complaints process rather than replacing it.
Read on judiciary.uk →
Bar Council · Report · July 2026
‘Delays are now endemic’: barristers’ observations on the late delivery of prisoners to court
The Bar Council's July 2026 report, drawing on 213 reports of late prisoner delivery made by barristers between 12th February and 8th June 2026 across all six circuits, at an average of thirteen a week. Most came from the South Eastern Circuit: 97 reports, more than double any other circuit, with Winchester featuring prominently as both a court and a prison. A quarter of respondents reported delays of over five hours, and 69 per cent rated the impact on the running of their case at four or five out of five. The report sets that against official contractual performance figures of over 99 per cent, and argues the right measure is delay to cases rather than cancellation of them. The reporting form remains open.
Read on barcouncil.org.uk →
LCJ & Senior President of Tribunals · July 2026
Protocol for legal professionals wishing to raise concerns informally about judicial behaviour
Issued jointly by the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals in July 2026, this puts in writing a route that has long existed informally. It covers less serious matters, such as an isolated loss of temper or an ill-judged remark, and offers two routes: speaking to the judge directly in private after the hearing has concluded, or approaching their leadership judge, either yourself or through a senior member of the profession. The Circuit Leader is named as someone who can make that approach on your behalf. The protocol sits alongside the formal complaints route and does not replace it: more serious concerns, including repeated bullying or a pattern of harassment, should go to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.
Read on judiciary.uk →
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary · Takes effect 1st October 2026
Practice Direction on Listing in the Criminal Courts
Issued by the Lady Chief Justice, this establishes the National Listing Framework and applies to the Crown Court and the magistrates' courts with effect from 1st October 2026, replacing paragraphs 5.6 to 5.16 of the Criminal Practice Directions 2023 together with any local listing practices. Cases are allocated to one of seven priority tiers by reference to the human impact of delay rather than the seriousness of the offence alone, and all trials are listed as either a Fixed Date or a Flexible Date. The familiar language of backers, floaters and priority floaters goes. Each Crown Court centre must submit a draft Court Listing Plan to the Presiding Judges within six months and publish the approved version within nine.
Read on judiciary.uk →