Martin Partington: Spotlight on the Justice System

A revised edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book was published in March 2020. It aims to increase awareness and understanding of the different circumstances of people appearing in courts and tribunals.  It is designed to enable effective communication and suggests steps which should increase participation by all parties. (I wrote about the first edition of the revised bench book in this blog in April 2018.)

This latest edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book cites recent evidence regarding the experiences of different communities living in Britain today. It contains practical guidance aimed at helping make the court experience more accessible for parties and witnesses who might be uncertain, fearful or feel unable to participate. It includes new and expanded sections on litigants in person, refugees, modern slavery, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.

There are practical suggestions on communicating with those speaking English as a second language or through interpreters, communicating with people with mental disabilities, a guide to different naming systems, and latest views on acceptable terminology.

The Equal Treatment Bench Book has also issued guidance on the conduct of remote hearings.

See https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/new-edition-of-the-equal-treatment-bench-book-launched/