The history of Her Majesty’s Courts Service

The Crown has had responsibility for the running of the courts for over 900 years. Over the years the agency that is now Her Majesty’s Courts Service has had a number of different titles, the Lord Chancellor’s Department (LCD) and the Court Service being just two of them.

Key 20th century dates:

Magistrates’ Courts formed part of the Home Office, administered locally via 42 Magistrates’ Courts’ Committees.

1972 The Courts Act replaces Assizes with Crown Courts

1977 LCD becomes a major Government Department.

1995 The Court Service launched as an executive agency of LCD. Its purpose was to handle the operational business of the Crown, county and Supreme courts.

2001 The Auld Review recommended the development of a single agency for the administration of justice, bringing together the Magistrates’ Courts Service and Court Service into one administrative organisation.

2003 - June The Lord Chancellor’s Department renamed the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), headed by a Secretary of State retaining the office of Lord Chancellor.

2003 - November the Courts Act 2003 sets out the framework for the new agency - Her Majesty’s Courts Service.

1 April 2005
Her Majesty’s Courts Service launched, linking the administration of Magistrates’, Crown, county and Supreme Courts together for the first time.