Tribunals

• What role do tribunals play in the legal system?

  Act as specialist courts for specialised disputes
• What types of disputes are commonly resolved using a tribunal?

  Employment, immigration, and social security disputes
• What is a key difference between tribunals and courts regarding alternative dispute resolution (ADR)?

  No redress to courts after tribunal failure
• What are the three different types of tribunals?

  • Administrative: Disputes between individuals and the state.
  • Domestic: Internal disputes within private bodies.
  • Employment: Disputes between employees and employers.
• Which type of tribunal deals with disputes between individuals and the state over social welfare legislation?

  Administrative
• Which type of tribunal is used for disputes within private bodies like the Law Society?

  Domestic
• Which type of tribunal is the most common and deals with employer-employee disputes?

  Employment
• Why were tribunals originally established?

  To enforce people's rights under the welfare state
• What was a criticism of the tribunal system when it was first introduced?

  Over-complication and user intimidation
• In what year did the Franks Committee make recommendations for tribunal procedures?

  1957
• What principle did the Franks Committee emphasize for tribunal procedures?

  Openness, fairness and impartiality
• What Act implemented the Franks Committee's recommendations?

  Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1958
• What year was the Council on Tribunals set up?

  1958
• What was a common criticism of the Council on Tribunals?

  'Watchdog with no teeth'
• Who authored the report 'Tribunals for Users - One System, One Service'?

  Sir Andrew Leggatt
• In what year was the 'Tribunals for Users - One System, One Service' report published?

  2000
• According to Leggatt's report, what did tribunals lack?

  Independence, coherence, and user-friendliness
• What Act formalized and implemented most of Leggatt's reforms?

  The Tribunals, Court and Enforcement Act
• In what year was The Tribunals, Court and Enforcement Act passed?

  2007
• What were the key recommendations made by Leggatt?

  • A single Tribunal Service, independent of government.
  • Tribunals organized into divisions based on type.
  • A user-friendly system encouraging self-representation.
• What is the purpose of a single Tribunal Service?

  To unify tribunal procedure and administration
• Which of these is NOT a division within the tribunal system?

  Criminal
• What duties does a registrar take on within each tribunal division?

  Case management duties
• What rules are the case management duties in line with?

  Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) 1998
• How should written judgments be given to ensure the system is user-friendly?

  Plain English
• What did Part 1 of the Tribunals, Court and Enforcement Act 2007 establish?

  A Tribunal Service that unified procedures
• How many tribunals are there now after the reforms?

  Two
• What are the two tribunals called?

  First Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal
• What power does the Upper Tribunal have over the First Tier Tribunal?

  Judicial review
• What is the effect of the Upper Tribunal's power of judicial review?

  Minimises court involvement
• Who appoints members to the tribunals?

  Judicial Appointments Commission
• Why does the appointment of members by the Judicial Appointments Commission increase the status of tribunals?

  Members are registered as judges
• How is further appeal from the Upper Tribunal structured?

  Available to the Court of Appeal
• Why is further appeal from the Upper Tribunal rare?

  Well-structured system
• Who heads the entire tribunal system?

  Senior President of Tribunals
• What responsibilities does the Senior President of Tribunals have?

  Assigning judges, general welfare, and resolving issues
• What is the purpose of the Senior President's power to issue practice directions?

  Maintain unified procedure across chambers
• Who hears cases in the First Tier Tribunal?

  A tribunal judge
• Who may sit with the judge in some First Tier Tribunal cases?

  Specialist non-legal members
• What expertise do the specialist members have?

  Expertise in the tribunal's specific field