Consultation Response: Witness Charter

​The Department of Justice launched a consultation on a draft Witness Charter in July 2016. The aim of this document is to set out the various entitlements or standards that witnesses of crime across Northern Ireland can expect to receive from a range of service providers and defence legal representatives. The Charter focuses on the respective journeys through the criminal justice system for prosecution, defence and expert witnesses.

The Bar’s response welcomes the creation of the Charter but cautions that the Department must ensure it is accessible for the vast majority of court users in its practical application. View the Bar’s full submission to the consultation.