What records do the courts keep?
UK courts keep a record of every court case that takes place. Depending on the nature of the case, the courts and other agencies on their behalf will maintain records for a certain period of time.
Criminal records
If you are convicted of a crime, this will be recorded and you will consequently have a criminal record. You can access your criminal record by contacting the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). Although these records are not accessible by the public and cannot be viewed without your consent, potential employers often require a CRB check to be carried out against prospective employees as a condition of employment. This is particularly the case if your job will involve working with young or vulnerable people.
County Court Judgments
In civil proceedings, if someone has failed to pay money that they owe, County Courts may issue a County Court Judgment (CCJ) against them, to enable creditors to claim the money that they are entitled to. A CCJ will set out how and when the debt should be repaid.
If you have a CCJ against you, the court will record this on the Register of County Court Judgments. It can be removed if you pay the CCJ within a month, but if not it will remain on the Register for six years (although if you pay it during this time, it can be marked as satisfied). Banks, building societies and credit companies have access to the information contained on the Register and so having a CCJ registered against you could give rise to difficulties in obtaining credit or a mortgage. It is possible for you to search the Register yourself to check if you have a CCJ recorded against you.
Family law records
Courts will also maintain records relating to aspects of family law. For example, the Adopted Children Register holds information concerning every adoption that is granted by the courts in England and Wales. Whilst this information is not publicly accessible, if you are an adopted person or parent, you can make an application to receive an adoption certificate, which can be used in place of the original birth certificate. For more information on how to obtain an adoption certificate, please see:
In addition, court orders made in relation to a divorce will be recorded. Indeed, it is possible to obtain legal proof of a divorce in England and Wales by requesting a search of the Central Index of Decrees Absolute. This can be done by downloading the relevant form and sending it to the Principal Registry of the Family Division.
As mentioned, courts keep a record of every case that takes place in the UK. If you would like to find out what information the court holds about you and obtain a copy of this information, you should consider making a ‘subject access request’ in writing to HM Courts Service. It may be helpful to first enquire about this to your relevant Magistrates’ or County Court.
- Source:
- FindLaw
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