We close at 5.00pm

A South East Circuit Practice Direction provides that as a general rule, no judge should sit on a civil or family matter after 5.00pm. If for some very good reason a judge does sit after 5.00pm he or she must report him or herself to the relevant supervising judge. Opinion is divided on whether this provision is out of the consideration for court staff which was so noticeably lacking in their recent derisory pay offer leading to strike action, or whether it is to avoid the expense of paying overtime to court staff and security services.