Independent, practical help for litigants in person in England & Wales.
24 articles · All articles
Written by John Barwell
Court fees are set to be felt — £455 to issue an £8,000 claim, £346 more for the hearing — but the Help with Fees scheme can reduce them to zero for anyone under the savings and income thresholds. The catch is that it is strictly self-service: a separate application for every fee, a 28-day clock on evidence letters, and three months to reclaim a fee you should never have paid.
Written by John Barwell
Judicial review is often the only route for challenging a public body’s decision — but every claim needs the court’s permission, and the three-month clock runs from the decision itself, not from when you first get advice. This guide explains what judicial review can reach, how the pre-action protocol works, what the permission filter screens for, and when another route is the better tool.
Written by John Barwell
A practical guide showing how landmark English cases help Litigants in Person build stronger negligence and contract claims.
Written by John Barwell
Judicial accountability · whistleblowing · Freemasonry transparency A new legal challenge over alleged judicial bullying has revived an old question: whether opaque networks, institutional loyalty and unfinished reforms leave whistleblowers facing more than their formal opponents. No grand conspiracy is proved, but the absence of disclosure leaves public trust exposed. Jurisdiction: United Kingdom Focus: JCIO, … Continue reading “Unmasking an ‘Old Boys’ Club’: Freemasonry, Whistleblowers and the UK Justice System”
Written by John Barwell
SRA faces judicial review over alleged regulatory failures and calls for reform.
Written by John Barwell
The Crown Court backlog highlights systemic failures, with costly Nightingale courts offering little more than a temporary patch.
Written by John Barwell
A Channel 4 documentary exposes severe corruption and misconduct within Avon and Somerset Police, highlighting the critical need for systemic reform.
Written by John Barwell
Concerns about Freemasonry’s influence in the UK’s police and judiciary persist, highlighting the need for renewed scrutiny and updated transparency measures to restore public trust and ensure institutional integrity.
Written by John Barwell
Conflicts of interest, hidden networks, and a lack of accountability plague the UK justice system—who stands to benefit, and what needs to change?
Written by John Barwell
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) can seem like an intimidating body, especially when challenging misconduct in the legal profession. This guide aims to simplify the process for those who want to apply directly to the SDT without the help of a lawyer, making it clearer how to work within this regulatory framework.
