A small number of trials and court hearings were delayed yesterday after strike action forced a handful of courts to close or to operate a reduced service.
One trial was disrupted at Southwark when a juror refused to cross the picket line, according to Twitter, the micro-blogging site.
But overall the courts service across England and Wales ran as normal, officials said.
Court venues that closed were: Macclesfied Magistrates’ Court, where hearings due for yesterday had already been adjourned; Leeds District Probate Registry; and Lincoln and Sheffield Probate sub-registries.
Courts operating a reduced service included the Crown Courts at Manchester and Bolton, while hearings at Amersham Crown Court were transferred to Aylesbury.
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Nottingham, Chesterfield and Leicester County Courts were open for hearings but no public counter or telephone services. Morpeth County Court closed early.
In the magistrates’ courts, hearings were transferred from Leyland Magistrates’ Court and Knowsley Magistrates’ Court to Preston and St Helens respectively.
A spokesman for the Courts and Tribunals Service said: “The majority of courts and tribunals are sitting as planned and services are being maintained.
“While there has been some reduction in services, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has robust contingency plans in place.”
The delivery of the most essential services, including custody cases and urgent family cases, had been prioritised, he added.