Law and Rights
The Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council is one of the public bodies to be axed under the goverment's reforms. Tribunals are a major part of the justice system - for more information see Lawobserver - Tribunals. The AJTC (and its predecessor - the Council on Tribunals) has played an important role in ensuring that Tribunals operate to proper standards of procedural fairness.
There is also a Tribunals Service ? an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice ? which provides administrative support to certain tribunals. This service is to merge, from 1st April 2011, with Her Majesty's Court Service.
- Employment Tribunals - Interesting Media Coverage This Week
Employment Tribunals have received an interesting and mostly critical "press" this week. These tribunals deal with many types of employment-related claims; the law is complex and frequent changes are made. A very interesting discussion may...
- Is The Upper Tribunal Amenable To Judicial Review In The High Court?
The Supreme Court has granted leave for an appeal in the case of R (on the application of Cart) (Appellant) v The Upper Tribunal (Respondent). A revised tribunal structure Under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 the Tribunal...
- Equality Law
On 1st October 2010 much of the Equality Act 2010 came into force. It is a large Act - 218 sections and 28 schedules. In addition, there are several statutory instruments fleshing out various aspects of the law. Much of the "equality...
- A Unified Judiciary ... And Why Not Use The Local Town Hall ...
The government is planning to bring the tribunal judiciary in England and Wales under the overall leadership of the Lord Chief Justice. This will be in addition to the planned merger (by 1st April 2011) of Her Majesty' Court Service and the...
- Tribunals: A Major Reform Is Now Well Under Way
In England and Wales, criminal cases are heard before either the Magistrates? Courts or the Crown Court of England and Wales. Non-criminal cases ? referred to as CIVIL cases or matters ? are heard by the County Courts or by the High Court or by a TRIBUNAL....
Law and Rights
Tribunals: the loss of the AJTC
Richard Thomas, Chairman of the AJTC, said - ?Government bodies and local authorities are taking tens of thousands of decisions every day which are of real importance to individuals and their families. This year there will be about a million appeals to tribunals. Although - as the independent voice of the user - we will no longer be able to oversee the administrative justice system, it will remain essential to ensure that users? needs are central. Much remains to be done to maximise customer satisfaction and access to justice and minimise cost, delay and complexity.?
The AJTC's predecessor was the Council on Tribunals which was created following the Franks Report of 1957 (Cmnd. 218). Franks itself arose from serious concern about the standards of due process used in the tribunals of the day. The Franks Report led to the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1958 which was later replaced by the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992. It is under these Acts that the AJTC has played an important role in the supervision of Tribunals and a key element in this supervision related to the procedural rules.
The tribunal structure has been going through major revision as a result of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. This Act seeks to bring all tribunals into a unified tribunal system under judicial control. Thus, many of the previously separate tribunals (many linked to various government departments) have now been brought within either the First Tier Tribunal (with its six "Chambers") or into the Upper Tribunal (with four "Chambers").
The exact reasoning why the AJTC is no longer considered to be necessary is not clear but it may be that it is seen as unnecessary in the light of the new tribunal structure. It ought to be incumbent on government to at least justify publicly each individual "cut" being made as part of an exercise which is, according to the Ministry of Justice, aimed at improved "accountability" as well as financial savings.
- Employment Tribunals - Interesting Media Coverage This Week
Employment Tribunals have received an interesting and mostly critical "press" this week. These tribunals deal with many types of employment-related claims; the law is complex and frequent changes are made. A very interesting discussion may...
- Is The Upper Tribunal Amenable To Judicial Review In The High Court?
The Supreme Court has granted leave for an appeal in the case of R (on the application of Cart) (Appellant) v The Upper Tribunal (Respondent). A revised tribunal structure Under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 the Tribunal...
- Equality Law
On 1st October 2010 much of the Equality Act 2010 came into force. It is a large Act - 218 sections and 28 schedules. In addition, there are several statutory instruments fleshing out various aspects of the law. Much of the "equality...
- A Unified Judiciary ... And Why Not Use The Local Town Hall ...
The government is planning to bring the tribunal judiciary in England and Wales under the overall leadership of the Lord Chief Justice. This will be in addition to the planned merger (by 1st April 2011) of Her Majesty' Court Service and the...
- Tribunals: A Major Reform Is Now Well Under Way
In England and Wales, criminal cases are heard before either the Magistrates? Courts or the Crown Court of England and Wales. Non-criminal cases ? referred to as CIVIL cases or matters ? are heard by the County Courts or by the High Court or by a TRIBUNAL....