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Number of Crown Court cases and defendants increased from previous year

Date published: 27 June 2025

NISRA statisticians the Department of Justice released the annual judicial accredited official statistics report today. This report provides an overview of Children Orders, County Court, Court of Appeal, and Crown, High and Magistrates’ Courts’ business during 2024 and how it compares with the previous year.

Key findings

During 2024:

  • There were 1,781 Children Order sittings, 4,553 Children Order applications received and 4,335 disposed
  • County Court and District Judges sat a total of 4,658 sitting days during the year
  • Judges sat a total of 64 days on criminal Court of Appeal business and 121 days on civil Court of Appeal business
  • There were 2,931 Crown Court sittings with 1,520 cases and 1,816 defendants received and 1,498 cases and 1,822 defendants disposed
  • There were 2,052 High Court sitting days during the year
  • Within the 4,294 Magistrates’ sitting days during the year, 72% were adult criminal, 6% youth criminal and 22% civil and family days

 

About the publication

The publication presents the following statistics for the Northern Ireland Court and Tribunals Service for the calendar year 2024:

The number of Children Order applications received and disposed at Family Proceedings Courts, 

Family Care Centres and the High Court, together with waiting times from lodgment to disposal 

County Court business received and disposed, waiting times and sitting days in County Courts 

Court of Appeal business received and disposed, waiting times and sitting days in Court of Appeal 

The number of cases and defendants received and disposed, waiting times, pleas and findings and sittings at the Crown Court 

Business received and disposed, waiting times and sitting days in the Chancery, King’s Bench and Family Divisions of the High Court 

The number of youth and adult defendants received and disposed, charges and outcomes, sittings, civil applications received and disposed and waiting times at Magistrates’ Courts 

A summary of some other miscellaneous business areas such as Enforcement of Judgments Office, Coroners and Pension Appeal Tribunals; and

A breakdown of the Judge Court sitting days split by the majority type of business heard.

 

Visit the publication page with associated tables, infographic and further information: NICTS Judicial Statistics | Department of Justice

 

 

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Last updated: 28 July 2025

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  • Official Statistics producer – Upholding Trust, Quality and Value
  • General Register Office - registration and certification of life events relating to births, deaths and marriages
  • nidirect.gov.uk – the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens
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