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Inventory of Reforms

Canadian Judicial Council Statement of Principles on Self-represented Litigants and Accused Persons

Year:
2006

Description:
Advisory principles for judges and the courts to promote access to justice for self-represented litigants.

Jurisdiction:
National

Body Responsible:
Canadian Judicial Council

Publications:
Canadian Judicial Council, Statement of principles on self-represented litigants and accused persons (Canadian Judicial Council, 2006).
Canadian Judicial Council 2006-2007 annual report: Access to justice – meeting the challenge = Rapport annuel 2006-2007 du Conseil canadien de la magistrature: L’accès à la justice – relever le défi (Canadian Judicial Council, 2007). [Annual Report]

Development:
The Canadian Judicial Council Administration of Justice Committee focused in 2006 on “ensuring that self-represented persons who appear in the court system have fair access and equal treatment in the courts.” (Annual Report at 4.)

After extensive work by the Committee, a statement of principles on self-represented persons was issued in December 2006. The Committee’s work began with a detailed examination of the issues facing self-represented persons in court. They concluded that self-represented persons are generally uninformed about their legal rights and about the consequences of the options they choose. They find court procedures complex, confusing, and intimidating and they generally do not have the knowledge to effectively participate in their own litigation (Annual Report at 4).

Description of Reforms:
The Statement is is advisory, and is not a code of conduct.

The principles expressed by the CJC include:

In conjunction with the statement of principles, other helpful working tools were developed to help judges assist people who represent themselves in court. These tools provide:

Revision History:
This summary was last reviewed in Aug 10, 2012