ALTERNATIVE COURT PROGRAMME SEEKING APPLICANTS
WE wanted to share news of an alternative court process open to people in our area, part of a
groundbreaking new series for Channel 4.
Claimants have been struck with particularly long waiting times everywhere. Even in the
Northeast of England, where waits have generally been shorter, Durham County Court has reported
waits of 377 days on average to go to trial. Across the UK, the Civil Court system is currently
experiencing major backlogs across the country with waiting times and expenses on the rise. For
small claims it took an average of 50 weeks to reach trial whilst multi, intermediate, and fast track
claims took 74 weeks on average to reach trial. This is 14 and 20 weeks respectively above pre
pandemic levels.
Over 1.7 million civil claims were made last year alone at a time when civil court delays are
currently the worst in record. Costs of legal fees even for simple cases can amount to £10,000, while
legal aid has been slashed by 28% in the last 10 years. While exact figures are hard to pin down, self-
representation is increasingly common, particularly in civil and family cases. A report by The Legal
500 found that the number of people going to court without legal support has risen by 520% since
2011, due to cuts to legal aid and the rising cost of legal representation.
A new Channel 4 series THE COURT will offer the British public a unique, fast tracked, and fair
opportunity to have their disputes heard and resolved – without the usual costs and delays. For this
ambitious series, a former courtroom will be brought back to life, and members of the public given
the chance to have their disputes heard there by an independent arbitration judge.
Everyone who takes part will be provided with experienced and impartial legal representation,
both a solicitor and a barrister. All verdicts will be legally binding, meaning there is a chance of real
resolution.
We are currently looking for people who would like to bring their civil disputes before this first-of-
its-kind alternative court. We’d be grateful if you could share a flyer for THE COURT (working
title) with your followers on social media, who may benefit from this swift and cost-free access to
justice.
Many of us experience injustice but few of us consider going through the court system – put off
by the cost, the formality, the length of time it takes to get to court, or by not being clear where to
start. We are looking for those who are living with an unresolved dispute and who are ready to get it
sorted – be it big or small, this is a chance to get their side of the story heard and a verdict reached.
It could be that money is owed, an agreement not fulfilled, probate outstanding, injury caused,
defamation of identity suffered – the doors of The Court are now open. For those interested in
applying or finding out more, contact us at www.the-court.co.uk
