ABSTRACT
Informal tribunals that review administrative decisions and adjudicate on disputes between individuals have been a part of the British system of civil justice for some time. Tribunals in the UK have been largely overlooked by scholars concerned with developments in informal justice, who have tended to focus on small claims procedures, conciliation, mediation and arbitration. In the UK there are about 50 different types of tribunals and some 2000 tribunals altogether. A common characteristic of tribunals and informal courts is the relative infrequency with which one or both parties are represented. An analysis of the effect of representation on the outcome of hearings established that, in all four tribunals, the presence of a skilled representative significantly and independently increased the probability that a case would succeed. Decision-making in tribunals is accomplished within the context of rules and case law which determine the existence of entitlements, or the limits of 'reasonableness.'.
