Litigant in person
Plain-English definitions for England and Wales. General information, not legal advice. Laws and figures change - always check the current position on GOV.UK.
Litigant in person Someone who brings or defends a tribunal claim without a lawyer representing them. Employment tribunals are designed to be used without legal representation, and many claimants act as litigants in person.
Also known as: self-represented, acting in person
Related terms
- Claimant
- The person bringing the employment tribunal claim - usually the employee or worker. You are the claimant; the employer you are claiming against is the respondent. If you bring your own claim without a lawyer you are a litigant in person.
- Employment tribunal
- An independent judicial body in England and Wales that decides disputes between employees or workers and employers - such as unfair dismissal, discrimination and unpaid wages. Hearings are less formal than the civil courts and each side usually pays its own costs.
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