Calls for Chichester Crown Court to reopen for good

Lawyer Edward Cooke speaks out on Chichester Crown Court

Chichester Crown Court should remain operating on a permanent basis after it reopened as a Nightingale court earlier this year, campaigners say.

The court, which closed in 2018, is being used by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to help clear the backlog of cases which built up during the pandemic.

But Edward Cooke, a family lawyer and vocal campaigner on Chichester’s court provision, believes the court should now remain open for good.

He said: “We are delighted that the Chichester Crown Court has re-opened, not least as we fought for many years to save it from closure.

Chichester Crown Court closure protest back in 2016. Photo by Derek Martin.

“Although at present the court is open to catch up with a huge backlog of cases, we believe that the Ministry of Justice should make a decision to keep it open permanently, as this is what is desperately needed.”

The Crown Court closed in 2018 with the Magistrates’ Court closing in 2016.

But the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced in February that Chichester was among 14 ‘Nightingale Courts’ set to open as a temporary measure, which it did after Easter.