Ministry of Justice · cases

Magistrates' court open cases under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

Magistrates' court open cases: 2019 Q1 to 2026 Q1ConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabour0100k200k300k20202022202420262019 Q1: 222,176 cases · published 25 June 20262019 Q2: 219,963 cases · published 25 June 20262019 Q3: 214,907 cases · published 25 June 20262019 Q4: 223,533 cases · published 25 June 20262020 Q1: 250,500 cases · published 25 June 20262020 Q2: 345,284 cases · published 25 June 20262020 Q3: 331,806 cases · published 25 June 20262020 Q4: 302,355 cases · published 25 June 20262021 Q1: 309,595 cases · published 25 June 20262021 Q2: 277,491 cases · published 25 June 20262021 Q3: 262,047 cases · published 25 June 20262021 Q4: 273,246 cases · published 25 June 20262022 Q1: 259,674 cases · published 25 June 20262022 Q2: 249,404 cases · published 25 June 20262022 Q3: 265,773 cases · published 25 June 20262022 Q4: 260,843 cases · published 25 June 20262023 Q1: 252,887 cases · published 25 June 20262023 Q2: 254,061 cases · published 25 June 20262023 Q3: 259,138 cases · published 25 June 20262023 Q4: 278,367 cases · published 25 June 20262024 Q1: 282,125 cases · published 25 June 20262024 Q2: 291,161 cases · published 25 June 20262024 Q3: 321,717 cases · published 25 June 20262024 Q4: 327,236 cases · published 25 June 20262025 Q1: 333,194 cases · published 25 June 20262025 Q2: 347,193 cases · published 25 June 20262025 Q3: 359,306 cases · published 25 June 20262025 Q4: 364,779 cases · published 25 June 20262026 Q1: 370,722 cases · published 25 June 2026

Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024present291,1612024 Q2370,7222026 Q1 27.3%+79,561
Conservative 2019–202413 December 20195 July 2024214,9072019 Q3291,1612024 Q2 35.5%+76,254
Conservative 2017–20199 June 201713 December 2019No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 2015–20178 May 20159 June 2017No complete period was published before this government took office.
Coalition 2010–201511 May 20108 May 2015No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 2005–20106 May 200511 May 2010No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 2001–20058 June 20015 May 2005No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 1997–20012 May 19977 June 2001No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1992–199710 April 19922 May 1997No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1987–199212 June 19879 April 1992No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1983–198710 June 198311 June 1987No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1979–19834 May 19799 June 1983No complete period was published before this government took office.