Legal Services Act
Prior to the passing of the Courts and Legal Services Act, only barristers, solicitors and the parties to a case had automatic rights of audience in the county courts (as established by the County Courts Act 1984). Other parties, if they were in "relevant legal employment", could also request rights of audience for a particular case. The Civil Justice Review found significant variations between courts as to who would be granted rights of audience, however, and Part I of the Courts and Legal Services Act attempted to address this. Section 11 allows the Lord Chancellor to make an order giving rights of audience to anyone in County Court cases of a certain type.