How Long Did You Wait?

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Waiting at court

Witnesses and jurors give up a day, sometimes several, and often wait for hours only to be sent home. Nobody counts that wait. Log yours.

Official figures

Courts in York right now

0 of 2 better than England

The latest figures, the year to June 2026. Coloured against England: ▼ worse ● about the same ▲ better.

York Crown Courttrials ready to start but put off on the day
27%● About the same as England and WalesBetter than a year ago (30%)
Magistrates' courts, York and North Yorkshiretrials ready to start but put off on the day
24%▼ Worse than England and WalesAbout the same as a year ago (23%)
Is this good enough?

Magistrates' courts are published by area, so Hull, Beverley, Bridlington and Grimsby share one figure, and York, Harrogate, Scarborough and Skipton another.

Log your day at court

Criminal courts only, checked on the HM Courts and Tribunals Service court finder in October 2026. North Lincolnshire has no criminal court of its own: its cases are heard in Grimsby. Bridlington sits only on some days.

Official figures: England and Wales

Trials that didn't go ahead on the day

20%
of trials in magistrates' courts were ineffective: ready to start, but put off on the day
40% went ahead. 40% ended without a trial, such as a late guilty plea.
25%
of trials in the Crown Court were ineffective: ready to start, but put off on the day
44% went ahead. 31% ended without a trial, such as a late guilty plea.

April to June 2026. The most common reason was overlisting, where more trials are booked than the court can hear: 23% of ineffective magistrates' court trials and 27% in the Crown Court. The Ministry of Justice does not publish these figures for each court in this form. Ministry of Justice: criminal court statistics

Your rights

Witnesses and jurors at court

What the service must do, or has promised

  • No more than 2 hours, where possible. The Witness Charter says everyone will try to make sure you don't have to wait more than 2 hours to give evidence. It is a standard of care, not a legal right. The Witness Charter (easy read)
  • Kept informed. Prosecution witnesses should have a Witness Care Unit, run by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, as a single point of contact. It should tell you about your needs before the day, and what happens in the case. The Witness Charter (easy read)
  • A place to wait apart. You can ask to wait in a separate area, so you don't have to see people you would rather not. The Witness Charter (easy read)
  • A complaint answered. HM Courts and Tribunals Service aims to reply to a complaint within 10 working days, and to a request for a review within another 10. HM Courts and Tribunals Service: complaints

What you can do

  • Claim your expenses. Prosecution witnesses can claim travel, food and drink, loss of earnings and the cost of care from the Crown Prosecution Service, within limits, online after the day. Defence witnesses ask the defence lawyer. GOV.UK: expenses for going to court
  • Ask the Witness Service. The Citizens Advice Witness Service is free and independent, and can help on the day and before it. GOV.UK: expenses for going to court
  • Complain about the wait, or about not being told. About how the court managed the day: to the court, by HM Courts and Tribunals Service's complaints process. About not being kept informed: to the Witness Care Unit, the police or the Crown Prosecution Service. Courts can't change a decision made by a judge or magistrates through a complaint. HM Courts and Tribunals Service: complaints
  • Take it further. If you are still unhappy at the end, you can ask your MP to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The Witness Charter

General information, checked against each source on 13 October 2026. It is not legal advice. Follow the links for the official wording.