Crown Court List Types Explained: Daily, Firm, Warned, Trial
A guide to the four main Crown Court list types in England and Wales — daily, firm, warned, and trial lists. What each list contains, when they are published, and how to read them.
Crown Courts in England and Wales publish hearings in four overlapping list types: the daily list, the firm list, the warned list, and the trial list. Each serves a different scheduling purpose, and the same case can appear on more than one as it moves through the system.
This guide explains what each list contains, when it's published, and how to interpret what you find on it.
The four lists at a glance
- Daily list: today's hearings at the court, courtroom by courtroom.
- Firm list: cases with a confirmed trial date.
- Warned list: trials on standby — could start any day in the warned period.
- Trial list: the master schedule of every trial assigned to that court.
The daily list
The daily list is the most-used Crown Court list. It is the definitive schedule of what is happening at the court today: every hearing, in every courtroom, with start times, judges, defendant names, case references, and offences.
HMCTS publishes the daily list by 4pm the day before each hearing day, then publishes a revised list on the morning if anything changes (cases added, removed, moved between courtrooms, or assigned to a different judge).
What you'll find on the daily list
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Court / Courtroom | Which courtroom the case is in (e.g. Court 5) |
| Time | Listed start time (cases often run later than listed) |
| Judge | The judge or recorder hearing the case |
| Case reference | Unique HMCTS reference (e.g. T20247000) |
| Defendant name | Defendant(s) — sometimes redacted under reporting restrictions |
| Offences | Charges as set out on the indictment |
| Hearing type | PTPH, mention, sentence, trial, etc. |
| Prosecution / Defence | Counsel and instructing solicitors, when published |
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Get AlertsThe firm list
A firm list (also called a 'fixed list') contains cases that have been allocated a confirmed trial date. Once a case is on the firm list, the parties — judges, counsel, witnesses — work to that date.
Firm-listed cases can still slip if a judge or courtroom becomes unavailable, but they are the more reliable of the two trial schedules.
The warned list
The warned list is a reserve pool of trials ready to start at short notice. Cases on the warned list have an estimated 'warned period' (typically 1–2 weeks) during which they can be called on for trial — but no firm date.
If a firm-listed trial collapses (a guilty plea, an unwell defendant, a successful application to vacate), the court can pull a case off the warned list to fill the slot. Warned-list defendants and counsel must therefore stay ready to attend within 24-48 hours of being called.
Warned list cases can move with very little notice
If you're tracking a warned-list case, set a daily alert. Cases routinely jump from warned to firm without much warning when slots open up — sometimes the call comes the afternoon before the trial.
The trial list
The trial list is the master schedule for that Crown Court — the union of every firm-listed trial and every warned-listed trial across the term. It's used internally by listing officers and judges to manage capacity and is also published as a public document so that legal teams, journalists, and observers can plan ahead.
On the trial list you'll see the defendant, indictment, listed length (in days), warned period (if applicable), and any judge already allocated.
How to track a Crown Court case across lists
- Identify the case reference. Crown Court references begin with T (Trial) followed by the year and a sequence number, e.g. T20247000. The reference stays the same throughout the case life.
- Check the trial list. Find when the case is expected to be tried. The trial list shows whether it's firm-listed (with a date) or warned (with a period).
- Check the daily list each morning. On the day of any expected hearing, check the daily list — that's the definitive 'is this happening today' source. Cases can be moved to a different courtroom on the morning.
- Set an automated alert. Add the case reference to a free CauseAlert and you'll get SMS or email any time the case appears on a daily, firm, or warned list across any Crown Court in England and Wales.
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Start free — 2 alerts includedFrequently asked questions
What is a Crown Court daily list?
A Crown Court daily list is the published schedule of every hearing happening at the court today, organised by courtroom. It includes start times, judges, case references, defendant names, offences, and hearing types. HMCTS publishes daily lists by 4pm the day before, with revisions on the morning of the hearing day if cases move.
What is the difference between a firm list and a warned list?
A firm list contains cases with a confirmed trial date. Parties work to that fixed date. A warned list contains cases on standby with no firm date — they can be called on at short notice (typically 24-48 hours) if a firm-listed trial collapses. Warned-list cases have a 'warned period' of usually 1-2 weeks during which they may start.
When are Crown Court lists published?
Daily lists are published by 4pm the day before the hearing day, with a revised list on the morning of the hearing if anything changes. Firm and warned lists are published weekly, typically on a Friday, covering the following week or warned period. CauseAlert tracks every revision in real time at https://www.causealert.com/crown-court-listings.
Can a case move from warned list to daily list overnight?
Yes. If a firm-listed trial collapses (e.g. a guilty plea, witness unavailability, or a vacation application), the court can pull a warned-list case to fill the slot. Counsel and defendants on the warned list should be ready to attend within 24-48 hours of being called. Daily list updates are published the morning of the hearing.
What does 'fixed for trial' mean on a Crown Court list?
'Fixed for trial' (or 'firm-listed') means the case has been given a confirmed trial date. Unlike warned-list cases — which have a date range — fixed cases have a specific start date that all parties work to. Fixed dates can still be vacated if a judge or courtroom becomes unavailable, but they are the more reliable of the two trial schedules.
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Create free accountData sourced from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. Court information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Crown copyright.