citizens

advice

bureau

CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

 

The RCJ Advice Bureau off the Main Hall at the Royal Courts of Justice is open from:

 MONDAY to FRIDAY from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. 

The bureau is run by lawyers in conjunction with the Citizens' Advice Bureau and is independent of the court. The Bureau operates on a "first come first served" basis, or telephone advice is available on 0845 120 3715 (or 020 7947 6880) from:

 MONDAY to FRIDAY between 11 am and 12 noon and between 3 and 4 pm.

It is not the function of court officials to give legal advice. However, subject to that, they will do their best to assist any litigant. Litigants in person who need further assistance should contact the Community Legal Service through their Information Points. The CLS are developing local networks of people giving legal assistance such as law centres, local solicitors or the Citizens' Advice Bureaux. CLS Information Points are being set up in libraries and other public places. Litigants can telephone the CLS to find their nearest CLS Information Point on 0845 608 1122 or can log on to the CLS website at www.justask.org.uk for the CLS directory and for legal information.

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Assistance to litigants in person

A litigant who is acting in person may be assisted at a hearing by another person, often referred to as a McKenzie friend (see McKenzie v. McKenzie [1971] P 33). The litigant must be present at the hearing. If the hearing is in private, it is a matter of discretion for the court whether such an assistant is allowed to attend the hearing. That may depend, among other things, on the nature of the proceedings.

The assistant is allowed to help by taking notes, quietly prompting the litigant and offering advice and suggestions to the litigant. The court can, and sometimes does, permit the assistant to address the court on behalf of the litigant, by making an order to that effect under section 27(2)(c) of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (by reference to sections 17 and 18 of that Act), but this is an exceptional course. Some factors which may be relevant to whether this should be permitted have been discussed in reported judgments, including Izzo v. Philip Ross [2002] BIPR 310 and Paragon Finance v. Noueiri (Practice Note) [2001] EWCA Civ 1402 [2001] 1 W.L.R. 2357.

consulataions/submissions briefings Evidence Reports

Citizens Advice Bureaux clients continue to face difficulties obtaining access to justice. Significant barriers include high court fees and difficulties accessing, or ineligibility for, publicly funded services.

Evidence Reports

Undue distress: CAB clients' experience of baliffs
15/05/2000

TV sinners: a CAB evidence report on the BBC licence fee
01/03/1998

 
Consultations/Submissions

Response to Safety and Justice
24/10/2003

Response to Modernisation of Probate Service Consultation
25/02/2003

Equality & Diversity- Making it Happen
02/02/2003

Enduring Power of Attorney (LCD,Working Group)-
07/01/2003

Civil Court Fees
06/12/2002

Best Value Performance Indicators Consultation
01/11/2002

Working holidaymaker scheme- Letter to Immigration & National Policy Directorate
31/07/2002

General Pre-Action Protocol: A Consultation Paper
08/02/2002

Response for request for comments on the Quinquennial Review of the Court Service
11/01/2002

Tribunals for Users - LCD consultaton on the Report of the Review of Tribunals by Sir Andrew Leggatt
01/11/2001

Response to LCD Green Paper on Bailiff Reform - Towards Effective Enforcement
01/10/2001

Letter in response to LCD consultation on draft regulations to implement new financial conditions for CLS funding
11/09/2001

Lord Chancellors Department Enforcement Review - consultation paper 5 distress for rent
01/08/2001

Response to call for evidence from Joint committee on Human Rights
01/07/2001

Modernising the civil courts
01/07/2001

A Human Rights Commission for the United Kingdom
01/07/2001

Letter in response to LCD revised proposals on financial conditions for public funding from the Community Legal Service 1st May 2001
01/05/2001

Response to Court Service Consultation on Modernising the Civil Courts
01/04/2001

Proposed Trading Standards Enforcement Policy
01/04/2001

Response to HM Treasury on the review of the banking and mortgage codes
01/04/2001

Response to General Insurance Standards Council (GISC) Consultation document 3 – Corporate Governance
01/02/2001

Our countryside: The Future. A fair deal for rural England. A response to the Government's White Paper
01/02/2001

Reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners: a response to the Social Exclusion Unit's Consultation excercise
01/01/2001

Mortgage Regulation: The FSA’s high level approach a response by the CAB Service
01/01/2001

Review of the Public Sector Ombudsmen in England: A Response by the CAB Service to the Cabinet Office Review
01/11/2000

One Fine Day: A Report on Magistrates Courts and Fine Setting
01/11/2000

Review of tribunals consultation paper: a response by the Cab Service
01/10/2000

Community Legal Service: Financial Conditions for Funding by the Legal Services Commission - A Response to the consultation paper by the CAB Service
01/10/2000

Housing and Land: Proposed New Procedures: a response to the Lord Chancellor's Department
01/09/2000

Enforcement Review Consultation Paper 4: Warrants and Writs, Oral Examinations and Judgment Summons
01/03/2000

Civil Court Fees a response to the consultation on fee charges
01/02/2000

Conditional Fees - Sharing The Risks Of Litigation: A Response By The Cab Service
01/11/1999

Small Claims: The Impact of the New Allocation Fee
01/08/1999

Enforcement Review - Consultation Paper 2 - Key Principles
01/07/1999

Legal Aid Funding Code
01/05/1999

Access to Justice Bill: House of Commons Committee Stage
01/04/1999

Access to Justice Bill: House of Commons Second Reading
24/03/1999

The bailiff certification and complaints procedure: a response by the CAB Service
01/11/1998

Children First: A New Approach A Response from the CAB Service
01/11/1998

Access to justice with conditional fees
01/05/1998

The small claims procedure: a response by the CAB Service January 1998
01/01/1998

Rules governing the levy of distress in respect of council tax debts:Response by the CAB Service October 1997
01/10/1997

Enforcement of Council Tax Debt: Submission to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions October 1997
01/10/1997

Small firm exemption from unfair dismissal legislation for new employees: Submission to the DTI
01/12/1996


Briefings

Agenda for change: A CAB briefing pack
01/04/2001

Family visitor appeals: parliamentary consideration of the Immigration Appeals (Family Visitor) Regulations 2000
25/10/2000

Access to Justice Bill
House of Commons Committee Stage
The Community Legal Service and the Advice Sector
02/07/1999

Access to Justice Bill
House of Commons Second Reading
Wednesday 24 March
A briefing from the CAB Service
02/07/1999

Access to Justice Bill: House of Commons Committe Stage
01/04/1999

Access to Justice Bill: House of Commons Second Reading
24/03/1999

 
Consultations/Submissions

Revised Code of Practice on Consultation- Submission to the Cabinet Office
20/11/2003

Tackling poverty in London- Evidence to the Mayor of London
11/07/2003

Equality & Diversity- Making it Happen
02/02/2003

Towards a national strategy for local e-government: A response to the Governments Consultation Paper
04/07/2002

 

Litigation is always the last resort.  However, the insurance policies of most Councils, require those Councils, however guilty, not to admit to crimes against the person - contrary to the duty of care the Council's owes to the citizen.  Using these tactics, 95% of potential cases never reach a satisfactory conclusion - the insurance companies save £ millions.  However, the citizen concerned is very often left ruined.  This is a shortfall in the law as it stands which fails to adequately provide a remedy.  Please help us to lobby Parliament for Lorn Nolan proposed statutory additions by registering online.

citizens

advice

bureau

CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

Citizens Advice is an operating name of The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
Myddelton House 115-123 Pentonville Road London
N1 9LZ

Registered charity no: 279057 Company no: 1436945 England
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