Circuit judge
A county judge who deals with fast track and multi-track trials, appeals from the district judge, and interim applications in more complicated cases. A higher level judge than a district judge.
Archives
Civil Courts
These include the County Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court when they are dealing with civil rather than criminal claims. Employment tribunals (ETs) deal with the civil law. Occasionally, employment matters are dealt with in the civil courts rather than the ET. Information about courts and tribunals is available from the HM […]
Civil Procedure rules (CPR)
These are rules governing how claims are processed in the civil courts. They can be found at http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil
Claim
This has two meanings: a) the subject matter of the case (such as unfair dismissal or discrimination etc.); b) the worker’s document which starts the ET proceedings (originating application) known as an “ET1”.
Claim form
The court form that you or your solicitor needs to complete to start the claim.
Claimant
The party bringing the claim. In the past this party was referred to as the “plaintiff”.
Collective agreement
An agreement made between a trade union and an employer on behalf of a specified group of workers, usually relating to pay and working conditions.
Comparator
Discrimination is the concept that someone has been treated “less favourably” than others as a result of a particular characteristic that they possess. With minor exceptions, treating someone less favourably is unlawful where that characteristic is, for example, age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, sex, sexual orientation or religion […]
Complainant
Another legal term for the worker, used in the questionnaire procedure under the anti-discrimination legislation. Sometimes it is used to refer to the Claimant in a discrimination case.
Compromise Agreement
Renamed “settlement agreement” on 29 July 2013, this is a written agreement by which an employee gives up his or her entitlement to bring an employment claim or claims. The employer who is the other party generally agrees to make some form of financial payment, often provides an agreed form of reference, and may provide […]