Communicourt

Communicourt Ltd
Website http://www.communicourt.co.uk

Communicourt is a legal services company, based in Halesowen in the West Midlands, United Kingdom. It is one of the two companies providing Non-Registered Intermediaries for defendants in the United Kingdom. The company provides legal intermediaries outside the schemes run by the Ministry of Justice schemes that have not historically provided intermediaries for defendants in court cases.[1][2] Furthermore, organisations offering an intermediary service for Family Court[3] witnesses include Communicourt and Triangle.

Criminal Practice Directions allow the court the discretion to appoint an intermediary for a vulnerable defendant[4] because the Ministry of Justice does not offer this service. Communicourt was founded in 2011 by Naomi Mason, who works as a Registered Intermediary and a Non-Registered Intermediary. The company recruits Speech and language therapists and Psychology graduates with an interest in the legal system, and with relevant and specialist knowledge and experience. The company provides Intermediaries for criminal and family cases in courts in England and Wales. Intermediaries are not appropriate adults or expert witnesses whilst undertaking this role.

Young male offenders are at high risk for previously undetected oral language deficits, and this risk increases as severity of offending increases.[5] There are many vulnerable defendants that stand trial requiring professional assistance.[6] Communicourt work closely with the defendant, court personnel and counsel during proceedings. As of September 2016, Communicourt has 30 full-time intermediaries, a small number of freelancers and an administration team.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Cooper, Penny (13 October 2014). "Highs and Lows: The 4th Intermediary Survey" (PDF). Kingston University: 4, footnote 8.
  2. ↑ "Family Law Week: Children: Public Law Update (July 2013)". Family Law Week.
  3. ↑ Vulnerable Witnesses and Parties in the Family Courts (2014), The Advocates Gateway: Toolkit 13 http://www.theadvocatesgateway.org/images/13vulnerablewitnessesandpartiesinthefamilycourts081114.pdf%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  4. ↑ Criminal Practice Directions Neutral Citation Number: (2013) EWCA Crim 1631
  5. ↑ Pamela Snow, Oral Language Competence in Community and Custodial Young Offenders www.asha.org/events/convention/handouts/2010/1130-snow-pamela
  6. ↑ "Dixon v R [2013] EWCA Crim 465 (17 April 2013)". bailii.org.
  7. ↑ "Communicourt » Our People". communicourt.co.uk. 20 December 2013.
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