Civil Justice Council

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.

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.

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.

References

1. ^ Civil Procedure Act 1997, s.6(2)
2. ^ ^{a b} "Civil Justice Council - Annual Report 2006". Civil Justice Council. 2007. http://www.civiljusticecouncil.gov.uk/files/cjc_annual_report_2006web.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
3. ^ Civil Procedure Act 1997, s.6(3)
4. ^ "Civil Justice Council review". Ministry of Justice. 2008. http://www.justice.gov.uk/reviews/civil-justice-intro.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 

External links

• "Civil Justice Council". http://www.civiljusticecouncil.gov.uk/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-20.