2 September 2025
Nick Gova features in Today’s Family Lawyer on HMCTS software glitch
An HMCTS IT bug may have caused court documents to go missing, with a leaked report suggesting the issue went unaddressed for years.
Partner and Head of Family Nick Gova is quoted in Today’s Family Lawyer, warning that the revelations could “undermine public confidence in the justice system.”
Former Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk called the situation “unbelievably serious,” drawing comparisons to the Post Office Horizon scandal. HMCTS has maintained that no case outcomes were affected and that the documents were never truly lost.
Nick stresses that while technology is crucial for modernising the courts, it must be robustly monitored and maintained: “The introduction of HMCTS’s case management software was a vital step in bringing court processes into the 21st century, and the investment in new technology was long overdue,” he said.
“But technology in the justice system can only be effective if it is continually monitored, maintained, and developed, especially as we face rapid technological change and increasing cyber risks,” Nick continues.
Nick highlights that transparency and safeguards are needed to ensure technical issues are addressed promptly, not years later, preserving the public’s trust in a system that makes “life-changing” decisions.
Read Nick’s comments
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