- Families invited behind the scenes of local justice
- Open day to give rare and unique insight into how justice is done in East Anglia
- Public to visit court cells and police vans and watch a mock sentencing hearing
Mock sentencing hearings, tours of the cells, and listening to how judges prepare for cases will all be available for families attending a rare behind-the-scenes open day at Ipswich Magistrates' Court.
The building is opening its doors to the public on Saturday 14 September 2024 as part of Heritage Open Days to show how the court and its staff serve the community and deliver justice.
Residents will be able to witness mock sentencing hearings featuring magistrates, legal advisors, Crown Prosecution Service and local University Law Students as well as exploring the cells below the court.
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander said:
Our courts and HMCTS staff play a vital role in keeping our justice system rolling and protecting the public.
This open day in Ipswich is a rare opportunity to meet the hard-working staff members who work day in day out to deliver justice and gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into how our courts enforce the law.
Judges, magistrates' and court staff will be on hand to answer questions, and families can speak to The Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, the Probation Service and Crown Prosecution Service teams about how they each play a vital role right across the modern-day justice system.
Ipswich has a fascinating legal history. The oak press desk at the Ipswich Assizes, which pre-dated the current Magistrates' Court, was pivotal in the reporting of the Abdication Crisis of 1936. This was where Mrs Wallis Simpson was granted her divorce before going on to marry the Duke of Windsor who abdicated as King Edward VIII six weeks later.
The desk hosted reporters from across the globe who reported on the divorce, while their UK counterparts observed the requested media blackout. This famously led the Chicago News-Tribune headline: "King's Moll Reno'd in Wolsey's Town!"
