The Common Platform will be an essential tool for all defence solicitors and barristers.

Once rolled out nationally, the service will provide all criminal case information under one system, helping criminal justice partners to work together more effectively, reduce delays and make evidence sharing easier.

This webinar will give more information about how Common Platform will affect you, why you should subscribe to this new system and how to register. You’ll be given a demonstration of its functionality and see the benefits it will bring to the criminal justice system going forward.

The panel will include:

Michelle Filby - Deputy Director, Crime Programme, HMCTS

Theresa Browne, Deputy Director, Crime Programme, HMCTS

John Rigg – Business Change Manager, HMCTS

What is changing for defence professionals?

• Common Platform will become the system of record for all new cases in the Crown and magistrates’ court

• The Initial Details of the Prosecution Case (IDPC) and subsequent magistrates’ court case materials will be accessible by the defence via self-service on the Common Platform

• Defence professionals will be able to associate and dissociate with a case/defendant to identify themselves as the Defence Professional representing that case/defendant at the exclusion of others

• Defence professionals will be required to access, edit and upload the new version Pre-Trial readiness (PET form) from Common Platform

• Defence professionals will be provided access to directly upload magistrates’ court related materials – avoiding the need to email documents to HMCTS

• Pre-and post-hearing administration for magistrates’ court cases will be handled by the HMCTS Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC) in place of the local court

• Use the unique reference number (URN) from the charge sheet to identify the case in communication with CJS agencies, including Legal Aid applications

• CPS will also be serving documents to the Court over an interface with Common Platform. They will receive automated emails when defence associate/disassociate to a case or a document is uploaded for their attention, removing the need for e-mails.

This event is aimed at all defence solicitors and barristers who will be using the system and will last between 40-60 minutes.

You can submit questions during the event, or in advance by emailing changesomethingthatmatters@justice.gov.uk.

Find more information about the rollout of Common Platform to early adopter courts.