The Intermediary Role

This section of our website provides information on the Intermediary Role. Whether you are a newly appointed intermediary or a seasoned professional, you will find valuable guidance and support here. This section also provides a useful precis for other legal professionals on the role of an Intermediary.

The Intermediary role is a vital function within the justice system, designed to provide communication support and assistance to vulnerable witnesses. Intermediaries play a crucial role in ensuring that vulnerable individuals can effectively participate in the legal process.

‘Every reasonable step': a more flexible approach to vulnerable witnesses and defendants’, Lexicon Limited (2017)

Criminal Procedure Rule 3.9(3)(b) requires courts to take ‘every reasonable step’ to facilitate participation of witnesses and defendants. Intermediaries have used this rule to recommend adaptations tailored to the needs of children and vulnerable adults.