Communicourt

Communicourt Ltd
Small Communicourt Logo Communication matters in the courts
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 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. It has 18 full-time intermediaries, a small number of freelancers and an administration team.^[7]

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