Leveson Report: A Blueprint For A More Efficient And Equitable Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system in England and Wales is under immense strain. With Crown Court backlogs exceeding 75,000 cases as at the end of 2024 – double the volume seen in 2019 – delays in cases coming to trial are now measured in years, not months. In response, the Ministry of Justice appointed Sir Brian Leveson, former president of the King's Bench Division, to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts (the "Review").

The first part of the Review, focusing on long-term reforms to the set-up of the criminal courts, was published on 8 July 2025 (the "Report")and sets out a blueprint for reform which is bold and pragmatic – and in some respects controversial. Proposed restrictions on the right to a jury trial have attracted particularly strong views, on both sides of the debate.