Court administrative officer jobs at HMCTS

Administrative officers at HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) do the processing work that keeps cases moving through the courts and tribunals of England and Wales. Depending on the post, that means issuing claims and applications, updating case records, preparing court lists, sending out orders and dealing with the public, lawyers and judges. Most entry-level posts are at administrative officer (AO) grade, and case progression, listing and team leader roles are usually at executive officer (EO) grade. HMCTS sets its own pay ranges for each grade, and the advert gives the salary.

Where the jobs are

HMCTS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It runs the criminal, civil and family courts in England and Wales and many tribunals, some of which are UK-wide. Administrative staff work in:

• magistrates’ courts, handling criminal and some family work
• the Crown Court
• county courts, for civil claims, housing possession and money claims
• family courts, including children and divorce cases
• tribunals such as employment, social security and immigration
• Courts and Tribunals Service Centres that handle phone, email and online work for several jurisdictions at once

Each type of court has its own procedures and software, so a vacancy for a Crown Court AO and one for a family court AO are different jobs in practice. Courts in Scotland are run by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and in Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, each with separate recruitment.

Administrative officer work

An AO’s day is mostly processing. You check that applications are complete, take fees or apply fee remissions, create or update the case record, send papers to the right judge or legal adviser, and issue orders, notices and hearing dates once a decision is made. Much of HMCTS’s work now runs through digital case systems, including the Common Platform in the criminal courts, so you spend most of the day on screens.

Many AO posts also involve public-facing work: answering phone and email enquiries, helping people at the counter and explaining procedure to people without a lawyer. You cannot give legal advice, and part of the skill is explaining that politely while still pointing people to the right form or service. Some AO roles include clerking in court, sitting with the judge, managing the recording equipment and noting outcomes.

Listing and case progression

Listing officers build the court diary. They match hearings to judges, rooms and time estimates, deal with adjournment requests, and juggle custody cases, vulnerable witnesses and interpreters. Listing in the Crown Court and the family court is detailed work, and mistakes land on victims and defendants.

Case progression officers chase the steps that have to happen before a hearing can go ahead. In the criminal courts that includes making sure the prosecution has served evidence and the defence has met deadlines. In the civil and family courts it means checking directions have been followed. You work closely with judges, legal advisers, solicitors and the Crown Prosecution Service, and you need a good grasp of the procedure rules for your jurisdiction.

Both roles are usually at EO grade, though some courts recruit listing or case progression at AO and train people up. Executive officer (EO) in the Civil Service explains the grade in general.

Applying and the checks

Vacancies are on Civil Service Jobs and are tied to a specific court or service centre. HMCTS uses Success Profiles, the Civil Service framework made up of Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical elements. AO adverts usually ask for behaviour examples such as Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing and Delivering at Pace, often followed by an interview and sometimes an online test. Civil Service behaviours and how to write examples covers how to answer.

AO and most EO posts need no legal qualification; adverts look for office experience, customer service and accuracy with detail. Civil Service nationality rules apply, with about 75 per cent of posts also open to Commonwealth and EEA nationals. Pre-employment checks include identity, right to work, references and security clearance at the level the post requires; security clearance levels explains BPSS and the higher levels.

Pay, pension and hours

Civil Service pay ranges are set by each department, so there is no national figure for an HMCTS AO or EO. The vacancy shows the starting salary and whether a London or national rate applies. For 2026/27, the Civil Service pay remit guidance allowed departments a headline increase of up to 3.5 per cent across their paybill, which does not tell you what any individual will get. Civil Service grades and pay explains how ranges work.

HMCTS staff join the Civil Service pension scheme, alpha. Member contributions in 2026/27 are 4.6 per cent on pay up to £36,199 and 5.45 per cent from £36,200 to £56,000.

Most court office work is during the working week. Some magistrates’ courts sit on Saturdays and bank holidays for overnight custody cases, and staff cover these on a rota. Part-time and fixed-term contracts are common, and many staff start on a fixed-term contract before applying for permanent posts.

Moving on

Staff often start as an usher or AO, move into listing or case progression at EO, then into team leader or delivery manager posts. Some study law and apply to train as a legal adviser in the magistrates’ court. Because HMCTS is part of the Civil Service, you can also apply for internal vacancies across the Ministry of Justice and other departments once in post.