History of Tribunals

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Tribunals Tribunals are an important part of the legal system and act as ‘specialist courts’ for disputes in a specialized area, mainly concerning welfare and social rights. For example, employment disputes are very often resolved using a Tribunal, as are immigration and social security disputes. There are three different types of tribunal: Administrative: this type of tribunal deals with disputes between individuals and the State over rights contained in social welfare legislation, such as social security, immigration and land. Domestic: these are internal tribunals used for disputes within private bodies, such as the Law Society and the General Medical Council. Employment: these are the biggest use of tribunals, and deal with disputes between employees and employers over rights under employment legislation. A tribunal usually consists of three people; one neutral chairperson and one representative from each side, usually a union representative or a specialist in the area. Tribunals date back to the birth of the welfare state and were established to give people a way of making sure their rights were enforced. When they were first introduced, there were more than 70 different tribunals; all with different procedures and administration. This led to over-complication and users felt intimidated and confused by the system. Tribunals are frequently seen as another alternative to the courts, but the biggest difference is that if the case fails at the Tribunal stage, there is no redress to the courts, whereas if any other form of ADR fails, the parties still get the option of going to court to resolve their dispute. A tribunal usually consists of three people; one neutral chairperson and one representative from each side, usually a union representative or a specialist in the area. History of tribunals 1957 – Franks Committee
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