Civil Justice Council
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Civil Justice Council is a UK non-departmental public body that advises the Lord Chancellor on civil justice and civil procedure in England and Wales. It was established in 1998 under section 6 of the Civil Procedure Act 1997 and is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
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[edit] Composition
The Council must include:[1]
- Members of the judiciary;
- Members of the legal professions;
- Civil servants concerned with the administration of the courts;
- Persons experienced in consumer affairs;
- Persons experienced in lay advice; and
- Representatives of particular kinds of litigants, for example, businesses or employees.
As of 2007, it is composed of:[2]
- Chair: Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice, Sir Anthony Clarke QC;
- Deputy chair: Lord Justice Dyson
- 24 members;
- Ex officio members:
- Deputy Head of Civil Justice;
- Chair of the Judicial Studies Board.
[edit] Functions
The Council's functions are to:[3]
- Keep the civil justice system under review;
- Consider how to make the civil justice system more accessible, fair and efficient;
- Advise the Lord Chancellor and the judiciary on the development of the civil justice system;
- Refer proposals for changes in the civil justice system to the Lord Chancellor and the Civil Procedure Rules Committee; and
- Make proposals for research.
Subcommittees include:[2]
- Access to justice committee;
- Costs committee;
- Alternative Dispute Resolution committee;
- Experts committee.
In February 2008, the Ministry of Justice announced a study of the work of the Council to:[4]
- Review the role and performance of the Civil Justice Council and make recommendations;
- Evaluate the continuing need for body to perform the role and functions of the Council 1997 Act;
- Review whether a non-departmental body remains the most appropriate institution;
- Assess the past effectiveness of the Council; and
- Consider ways in which the Council could be made more effective.
[edit] References
[edit] External link
- Civil Justice Council. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
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