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York Magistrates' Court
Law Courts, Clifford Street, York, YO1 9RE.
How long did you wait?
Witnesses and jurors log how long they waited and whether the case went ahead. Figures appear once 10 people have logged a day here. We never ask about the case.
Trials put off on the day
Why trials were put off
- 44% more trials were booked than the court could hear (overlisting)
- 16% another case over-ran
- 16% the defence wasn't ready, or its witness or lawyer didn't come
- 14% the defendant was absent, ill or not brought from custody
Another 396 trials were taken out of the list before the day they were due.
Trials put off on the day, each year to the quarter shown
● No clear change: 24% in the year to June 2026, against 23% the year before.
- These magistrates' courts
- England and Wales
- Covid, March 2020 to March 2022
Show the figures
| Year | These magistrates' courts | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| the year to June 2026 | 24% | 21% |
| the year to March 2026 | 23% | 22% |
| the year to December 2025 | 25% | 22% |
| the year to September 2025 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to June 2025 | 23% | 22% |
| the year to March 2025 | 25% | 22% |
| the year to December 2024 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to September 2024 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to June 2024 | 25% | 22% |
| the year to March 2024 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to December 2023 | 22% | 22% |
| the year to September 2023 | 21% | 22% |
| the year to June 2023 | 19% | 22% |
| the year to March 2023 | 18% | 22% |
| the year to December 2022 | 21% | 22% |
| the year to September 2022 | 22% | 22% |
| the year to June 2022 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to March 2022 | 26% | 22% |
| the year to December 2021 | 25% | 22% |
| the year to September 2021 | 24% | 23% |
| the year to June 2021 | 25% | 22% |
| the year to March 2021 | 24% | 22% |
| the year to December 2020 | 22% | 20% |
| the year to September 2020 | 16% | 17% |
| the year to June 2020 | 14% | 16% |
| the year to March 2020 | 16% | 16% |
| the year to December 2019 | 14% | 15% |
| the year to September 2019 | 17% | 16% |
| the year to June 2019 | 18% | 16% |
| the year to March 2019 | 18% | 15% |
| the year to December 2018 | 19% | 16% |
| the year to September 2018 | 18% | 16% |
| the year to June 2018 | 17% | 15% |
| the year to March 2018 | 16% | 15% |
| the year to December 2017 | 14% | 15% |
| the year to September 2017 | 14% | 15% |
| the year to June 2017 | 15% | 15% |
| the year to March 2017 | 16% | 15% |
| the year to December 2016 | 19% | 15% |
Magistrates' court figures are published for each local justice area, so they cover all the magistrates' courts in North Yorkshire and York: York, Harrogate, Scarborough and Skipton. A trial is "put off on the day" when it was ready to start but couldn't go ahead, and had to be listed again. Each figure covers a whole year, so one busy quarter doesn't decide it. Ministry of Justice: criminal court statistics, trial effectiveness tool
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.
Witness Care Unit for prosecution witnesses here: North Yorkshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Every court.