I had a really interesting and informative few days at Birmingham Crown Court which operates 16 court rooms and hears a wide range of complex and serious cases. I had an opportunity to meet a number of the Judges who sit in the Court as well as the HMCTS staff who manage so much of the process. I also visited the cell block and jury facilities to understand how these are managed, and some of the challenges that can arise.
There are so many skilled and dedicated people working with the Court, but I got a real appreciation of how many different elements ( internal and external ) need to come together to ensure that the justice system can operate efficiently.