Preston Crown Court Listings: Ring Way and the Sessions House

Which Preston Building Is Your Hearing In?

Your hearing is in the building named on its entry. Entries marked plain "Preston" are at the Law Courts on Ring Way. Entries that add "The Sessions House" after "Preston" are on Lancaster Road, about 300 metres south of Ring Way.

Preston's layout makes the building line matter more than at most courts. Both buildings have a Court 1 and a Court 2, so a room number on its own can send you to the wrong door. Before you set off, open the day's list above, find your case reference, and read the building line under it.

The table below shows how the HMCTS list labels each building and what this site has seen there in recent weeks.

If your entry has no building, phone the court on the number in the contact panel below. Staff can confirm the room. Your solicitor or the Witness Service can also tell you, and they often know about late moves before the list changes.

Preston Crown Court Listings Are Filed Under the Sessions House

The official Preston Crown Court Listings sit under one HMCTS name: Preston Crown Court and Family Court (Sessions House). That single Crown Daily List covers both buildings, including every Ring Way courtroom.

Searching the HMCTS service for "Preston Combined Court Centre" brings up only civil and family cause lists, with no Crown list at all. So a reader who looks under the Ring Way name, where most trials happen, can wrongly conclude there is no list that day.

Three places carry the official information:

1. The HMCTS Court and Tribunal Hearings service page for the Sessions House holds the Crown Daily List for both buildings, plus the Family Daily Cause List and any Court of Protection list.
2. The XHIBIT daily status board for Preston shows what each courtroom is doing during the day, from 10am.
3. CourtServe republishes the lists, although its full Crown service needs a login.

The lists panel on this page takes the Crown list from the HMCTS service, groups it by building and room, and masks names. It keeps today's and tomorrow's lists side by side. For the general layout of a Crown list, see the Crown Daily List explainer.

What Do Preston's Crown Lists Usually Contain?

Preston runs a big, mixed list. Across the eight sitting days stored by this site from 6 to 15 October 2026, the Crown list held 436 hearings, about 55 a day. The busiest day was Monday 12 October, with 67 hearings.

Hearing Types on the Preston List

Trials were the largest group. "For Trial" was the most common type, and with part-heard trials added, about a third of all hearings were trials. In other words, several juries were usually sitting before new cases were called.

Start Times, Rooms and Prosecutors

Start times were steady. Every day in that period began at 10am, and about half of all hearings carried a 10am time. Smaller groups sat at 11am, at midday, and from 2pm. The last timed slot fell between 2.15pm and 2.45pm.

Some listing sites give 9am as Preston's start time. In this period, no Preston Crown list showed a time before 10am.

The buildings still open at 8.30am, and arriving early helps with the security queue.

Courtroom 9 at Ring Way carried the heaviest load. It held 66 hearings across the eight days and 14 on Thursday 15 October alone, mostly short mentions, pre-trial reviews and first hearings. Sessions House Court 1 came second, with 51.

Most cases were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service. About one entry in six named another prosecutor, which is common for breach-of-order hearings. Separately, 62 entries carried a note that reporting restrictions may apply.

Reading a Preston Entry: Untimed Rows, Judges and Room Numbers

A Preston entry is short, but each part tells you something. These points come from the court's own lists rather than general guidance.

• No time shown. About a quarter of hearings on the 15 and 16 October lists had no time. Usually the matter follows the timed cases in that room, often a trial resuming. Arrive by the room's first time.
• "Not before". A hearing marked "not before 10.30am" will not start earlier. It may start much later, though.
• Court 99. One entry on 15 October named Court 99. The XHIBIT board lists no such room, so treat it as unallocated and ask at the enquiry desk.
• The Honorary Recorder of Preston. This title belongs to a senior Circuit Judge. In mid-October lists, that judge sat in Ring Way Court 10.
• "Mr Justice" or "Mrs Justice". These titles mean a High Court judge is sitting. On 15 and 16 October, one sat in Ring Way Court 1, where the most serious trials usually go.
• A Recorder listed with two magistrates. Appeals from the magistrates' court are heard by a judge sitting with two magistrates. At Preston these appeared in Ring Way Court 8.
• Section 28 hearing. This means a vulnerable witness's cross-examination is being recorded before trial. One appeared in Court 9 on 15 October.

Rooms and judges change daily, so treat these as patterns. For help once inside, see finding your courtroom.

When Does Tomorrow's Preston Crown Court List Appear?

Tomorrow's Preston Crown Court list usually appears mid to late afternoon. In mid-October 2026, HMCTS posted the next day's list at 4.39pm on 14 October and at 3.40pm on 15 October.

Lists then change, because trials crack and judges move cases between rooms. Check again on the morning before you travel.

Mondays work a little differently. On Thursday 15 October, a list for Monday 19 October was already online, four days early. Treat an early list as a draft and check it again on Friday afternoon and on Monday morning.

During the day, the XHIBIT board takes over. It updates from 10am as each courtroom reports progress, such as a case adjourned to a new date. For the wider pattern across England and Wales, see when lists are published.

Getting to Ring Way and Lancaster Road

Both buildings sit in Preston city centre, a few minutes' walk apart. Neither has a public car park, so most people arrive on foot, by train or by bus.

Train. Preston station is on Fishergate, under a mile from both buildings. Walk east through the city centre. If you are new to Preston, allow 20 minutes, since the route crosses several busy junctions.

Bus. Preston bus station is a short walk from both buildings.

Driving. The Law Courts have a small number of disabled spaces, given out on a first come, first served basis, with no booking. The Sessions House has none, though Find a Court places the Bus Station Car Park opposite it. Find a Court names these public car parks:

Trials often run past 4pm, so buy more parking time than you think you need. A long stay is common for witnesses and families waiting for a verdict.

Between the two buildings. If you arrive at the wrong one, the other is about 300 metres away. Tell the security officer at the door, because staff can phone ahead to the courtroom. The Sessions House fills a whole block between Harris Street, Lancaster Road and Birley Street, and its grand front faces Harris Street.

Directions from your location: Google Maps · Apple Maps

What Each Person Needs at Preston on the Day

Everyone goes through an airport-style security arch at both buildings. If you have a pacemaker, tell the security officer before you walk through.

After that, what you need depends on why you are there.

For Defendants

Arrive by 9.30am for a 10am listing, with your letter and any paperwork. Find your barrister or solicitor before the hearing; consultation rooms are available at both buildings. Bail normally means staying until the court releases you, even when your case is called late.

Check the building line first, because waiting in Ring Way Court 1 while your case is called in Sessions House Court 1 can see you marked absent. The defendant's guide covers the rest.

For Witnesses

Your witness letter names the building and time, and the prosecution or defence team will expect you there. The Citizens Advice Witness Service supports witnesses at Preston, and can arrange a visit before the trial. You can ask for a separate waiting area, where one is free, so you do not meet the other side.

Trials at Preston often wait behind part-heard cases, so you may wait for hours or be sent home until the next day. See attending court as a witness for what to bring.

For Family and Supporters

You can usually sit in the public gallery for an adult's trial or sentence. Bring something to read, because untimed cases can be called late in the afternoon. Phones must be silent in court, and recording or photographing anything is a criminal offence.

If the person you support is in custody, they may appear by video link rather than in person. The list does not always say so. Their solicitor can tell you, and family members at court explains what you can and cannot do.

For Jurors

Your jury summons tells you which building to report to and when. Follow it rather than the hearing list, because jurors are not listed. Expect waiting on the first day, while panels are chosen for each trial.

Many Preston trials last days or weeks, as the part-heard numbers show. Bring a book, and any medication you need for the day. Jury rooms are separate from public areas, and court staff will show you the way. You must not discuss the case with anyone outside your jury.

For Observers and Reporters

Most adult hearings at both buildings are open, and no booking is needed. Ask security for the room, then sit quietly in the gallery. Ring Way usually has the most choice, since about nine courtrooms often sit at once.

Some entries carry a note that reporting restrictions may apply. If you plan to publish, check with the court clerk first. The public gallery guide and the court reporting guide set out the rules.

Is Your Case Missing, Moved or Transferred From Lancaster?

Most missing cases have a simple cause.

The hearing may sit under a different date, a different building, or a case reference you did not expect. Some entries are withheld entirely, such as youth cases and hearings with certain restrictions.

Check under the Sessions House name first, then search this site by case reference. For the full checklist, read why a case may not be listed.

Preston now carries cases from the north of the county too. In February 2026 the Lord Chancellor decided to close Lancaster Crown Court permanently, with immediate effect, since it had not sat since 2019. Preston hears the Crown cases that would have gone to Lancaster, while Lancaster Courthouse stays open for civil and magistrates' work.

So if a summons or bail notice mentions Lancaster, check the Preston list. Your solicitor can confirm the move. Allow for the longer trip from Morecambe, Lancaster or further north.

The XHIBIT board also names three pandemic-era rooms outside both buildings, one at Lancaster's Ashton Hall and two at Preston North End's Deepdale ground. In October 2026 none showed a case. Treat any listing there as a question for the court.

Where Can You Find Out What Happened in a Preston Case?

A listing shows a hearing, never its result. Being on the list says nothing about guilt.

During the day, the XHIBIT board sometimes shows a status line, such as a case adjourned to a named date. After that, the next listing tells you when the case returns.

For sentences in serious cases, local press often reports from Preston, and judges' sentencing remarks in some cases appear on the judiciary website. If you were a victim or witness, the police or the Witness Service will usually tell you the result. Otherwise, the court office can sometimes confirm the outcome of a public hearing, but it will not give legal advice.

Family Court Hearings at the Sessions House

The Sessions House is also Preston's family court building. Find a Court lists childcare arrangements, domestic abuse, financial remedy, forced marriage and female genital mutilation cases there.

Family hearings do not appear on the Crown Daily List. They have their own Family Daily Cause List, published under the same Sessions House name. Most family hearings are private, so that list shows little detail. See the Family Daily Cause List explainer for how to read it.

Contact and Facilities at Both Preston Buildings

The details below come from HMCTS records for the Sessions House location. Several numbers and inboxes serve the family court only. For a Crown case, say so at the start of your call or email, and quote the case reference.

Find a Court also lists a children's waiting room and twenty interview rooms at Ring Way. The panel below covers the Sessions House location.

How Did Preston End Up With Two Crown Court Buildings?

Preston has two because the Sessions House became too small, and a new centre opened on Ring Way. The court still uses both.

The Sessions House came first. Historic England's listing dates it to 1900 to 1903, by Henry Littler, in an Edwardian Baroque style. It is listed at Grade II*, built of sandstone ashlar, with a tall four-stage tower above the Harris Street front.

Inside, the listing records two principal courtrooms with pilastered panelling. It also notes a panelled library and a magistrates' cloakroom finished in Purbeck marble. Those rooms explain why Sessions House hearings feel very different from Ring Way.

As caseloads grew, the work moved to a purpose-built centre on Ring Way, which opened in the mid-1990s. The Law Courts now take most Crown business, while the Sessions House keeps a few Crown rooms and the family court.

The newest change came in 2026, when Lancaster Crown Court closed for good. Its cases now come to Preston, which makes these two buildings the Crown Court for much of Lancashire.

Other Courts Near Preston Crown Court

Preston has several courts within walking distance, and people often confuse them. Preston Magistrates' Court on Lawson Street deals with first appearances, so a case usually starts there before it reaches the Crown Court.

• Preston Combined Court Centre: the Ring Way building's own page, for its civil and family lists
• Burnley Combined Court Centre: the other Crown Court centre in Lancashire, for cases from the east of the county
• Lancaster Magistrates and County Court (Lancaster Courthouse): still open for civil and magistrates' work after Lancaster Crown Court closed
• Preston Combined Court Centre, PR1 2LL (0.3 km away)
• Preston Magistrates' Court, PR1 2QT (0.5 km away)

Preston Crown Court Questions Answered

The answers below cover the questions people most often ask about Preston's lists, buildings and hearings that the sections above do not already settle. Each one is short, so check the official list or phone the court before you act on anything time-sensitive.