Help with a crown court case

[Scratchitt]

I need to try and get hold of a list of witnesses for defence and prosecution and details of all legal staff involved in a crown court case from last year. Also need to try and get the transcript if possible, but don't have a large budget...well any budget really.

Is there anyway of getting at this kind of information without paying for the official court transcripts?

And can any kind souls advise how much it might cost me to get hold of a full transcript for a crown court case if I have to? Or how else I might be able to find any other of the info. Basically any advice at all on how to keep my costs down or eradicate them altogether! I can visit the court itself.

[EldritchCleavage]

The transcript should tell you the lawyers who appeared and the witnesses who were called or had their statements read, so you don't need to do that separately. However, I am not sure you would be entitled to get details of anyone who was listed as a witness and gave a statement but was not called, except by inspecting the court file.

You can ring the court and ask about inspecting the court file (this is possible in civil cases, but I don't know about criminal ones). There is a fee for doing this. You are allowed to take notes of what is in the file.

It is possible for parties to litigation who can't afford to pay for a transcript to get one paid for by public funds. Again, the Court manager should be able to tell you the procedure. I don't know if someone who was not a party can do this-I doubt it.

Why do you need it?

[Scratchitt]

Very broad based research project. So no public funds available. V complicated case and so will take forever I think but am applying to court now for access to everything I can. Case went on and off for three years with multiple, multiple hearings and a trial that halted half way through.

Many thanks Eldritch.

[EldritchCleavage]

Might be worth finding out whether any of the shorthand writing firms would do you a transcript for free to support the project. Unlikely but worth asking.