TRANSFER OF COURT SITTINGS FROM OLD TOWNHALL TO LAGANSIDE COURTS WITH EFFECT FROM 3RD NOVEMBER 2014
KEY CHANGES FOR LEGAL PRACTITIONERS TO NOTE
Following the decision to temporarily close Old Townhall building and transfer court sittings to Laganside work has now commenced to manage the transfer of youth and family court sittings to Laganside Courts with effect from 3rd November 2014. Practitioners are asked to note the following in respect of courtrooms and facilities that will be available at Laganside Courts for this business.
Should you have any queries regarding arrangements for family and youth courts that are not covered in this notice please contact Mrs Carol Nixon at Laganside Courts, telephone number 028 9072 4562 or by e-mailing carol.nixon@courtsni.gov.uk who will be pleased to assist.
Will there still be a public counter for the Family and Domestic Office?
An additional till point will be opened at the main counter area in Laganside where practitioners can lodge papers for court and payments can be processed.
What courtrooms will be used for those court sittings transferred from Old Townhall Building?
Belfast Magistrates’ youth court will sit in Court 1 (Level 2) at Laganside Courts. Changes to seating arrangements have been agreed with the judiciary to create as user friendly and Youth Court Guidelines compliant an environment as possible within the confines of this courtroom.
Belfast Magistrates’ Family Proceedings Court will sit in Court 3 (Level 2) at Laganside Courts. Changes to the layout of this courtroom have been agreed with the judiciary to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to facilitate family practitioners, Court Children’s Officers and court users.
Belfast Coroners Court will sit in Laganside Courts and/or May’s Chambers.
Appeals Service Tribunals and other tribunal hearings will be facilitated in Laganside Courts and/or May’s Chambers.
How will separation of Youth defendants and those attending the Family Proceedings Court from adult defendants be achieved?
Although there will be a common entrance for all court users to Laganside Courts Complex, all those attending the youth and family courts will be directed to the waiting area to the left of the main lift and stair access on Level 2, directly outside Courtrooms 1, 2 and 3. Those attending the adult magistrates’ courts will be directed to the waiting area to the right of the main lift and stair access on Level 2 outside Courtrooms 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Physical separation between the waiting area for the Youth Court will be achieved by constructing a doorway across the corridor between the main seated waiting area (1a) and the concourse towards Courtroom 1. The room currently allocated to the Court Witness Service will be designated as a Youth Court waiting area. This will mean that separate toilet facilities will be available for young people thus eliminating the need for them to access the main concourse other than as an egress route or to access the vending machines which are placed in waiting area 1a.
What consideration has been given to compliance with the Youth Court Guidelines in Laganside Courts?
Courtroom 1 has been identified as the courtroom most suitable for youth courts in Laganside. The courtroom is modern, brightly lit and spacious and the seating within the body of the court is all on one level. In order to achieve compliance with the Youth Court Guidelines, insofar as it is possible to do so, the judiciary have opted to sit at the desk normally occupied by the court clerk rather than the raised judge’s bench. A conference style layout, while preferable, is however not achievable within this courtroom, nor is it the only layout option considered in the Youth Court Guidelines. Seating within the more traditional rowed layout will be allocated to ensure that, where possible, youth defendants are seated alongside their legal representatives and a family member/ accompanying social worker for the duration of the hearing. Defendants in custody can be brought safely from the holding area through the dock area to the body of the court, where they can be seated alongside their legal representatives, parents/guardians. There is sufficient seating and benches within this courtroom to accommodate Youth Justice Agency personnel, probation staff and duty Social Workers. A review will be carried out before the end of October 2014 to assess compliance with the Youth Court Guidelines in Court 4 Old Townhall. This exercise will be repeated again in Court 1 Laganside Courts in November 2014 to gauge the impact of the move and identify areas for improvement.
What are the arrangements for Youth defendants held in custody?
Youth defendants will continue to be accommodated in the custodial area in Laganside courts in a separate block from adult defendants. They will remain within the building and go to and from the courtroom via a secure route. If practitioners wish to speak to their clients in the custodial area they can request to see them in a consultation room in the custodial area. Practitioners should note that there are a limited number of these rooms available.
What arrangements have been made for vulnerable witnesses attending the youth and family courts?
NSPCC Young Witness Service will be re-locating to accommodation within a secure area in Laganside Courts that provides ready access to Courtroom 1 and includes a separate witness waiting area and additional video link facilities.
Alternative arrangements can also be made for vulnerable witnesses attending the Domestic Proceedings or Family courts provided prior notice is given and facilities are available. The contact details for such requests are as follows:
e-mail Belfastfamily&domestic@courtsni.gov.ukor Tel: 0300 200 7812 Ext 74113
There is a video link booth in Court 4 in Old Townhall for representatives to speak with their clients in custody, has a similar arrangement been made for Court 1 in Laganside?
There are three video link booths available for use by practitioners within the secure area on Level 3 in Laganside Courts and a further booth available in Court 7 on Level 2.
Where will young people and their families meet with Youth Justice Agency staff following referral by the court?
A room has been made available on Level 2 for Youth Justice Agency staff to use for the purposes of consulting with young people and their families following court referral. The room formally designated as the ‘Duty Solicitor’ room on Level 2 will be remodelled to accommodate Youth Justice Agency and Court Children’s Services officers on court sitting days.
What waiting space is available to accommodate all those attending the youth and family courts?
Additional seating has been installed in the waiting areas outside courtrooms 1, 2 and 3 at Laganside Courts. Security staff will maintain a visible presence within these waiting areas while the courts are sitting. Double doors are also being installed in the upper waiting area to provide physical separation from the other courts on Level 2. A separate waiting area is currently available, adjacent to the Cafeteria on the ground floor, for use by parents with young children and additional seating is also being provided in this area.
Where will parties meet to discuss referrals to Court Children Services?
A room has been provided on Level 2 for Court Children’s Service officers to use for private discussions with parties involved in family proceedings.
What private consultation facilities are available?
There are 11 consultation rooms available on Level 2, 4 of which are located in the waiting area in immediate proximity to courts 1-3. There are a further 8 consultation rooms available on Level 4. Security staff have been instructed to monitor the use of all consultation facilities in Laganside to ensure they are not being used by other agencies or as witness waiting rooms. Practitioners are reminded that a Barristers/Solicitors room is already available on Level 3 which they can use to consult with each other privately about individual cases in the absence of their clients. As already referred to above separate accommodation has been made available for use by Courts Children’s Services and Youth Justice Agency.