John Baldwin is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute of Judicial Administration at the University of Birmingham. Prior to this he taught at the universities of Sheffield, Newcastle and Birmingham where he has been a lecturer, reader and now Professor.

John Baldwin's study ... is a timely one ... This is a thoughtful and insightful study of the small-claims procedure in England and Wales which questions many assumptions about the process ... There is much for the policy maker and theorist to reflect on in this small volume. It should surely make both groups think hard about the instrumental and symbolic role of courts and what the idea of access to justice might mean for different groups within the community. It will also provide a platform for the future development of both ethnographic and empirical analysis of the role of the courts and tribunals in providing for the ordinary individual. For all these reasons it is an excellent addition to the Oxford socio-legal series.

• One: Introduction and Background: The Development of Small Claims in England and Wales ; Two: Background to the Study: The County Court Files ; Three: The District Judge's Role at Small Claims Hearings ; Four: Litigants' Perceptions of Small Claims ; Five: The Enforcement of Small Claims Judgments ; Six: Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

John Baldwin is Professor of Law and Director of the Institute of Judicial Administration at the University of Birmingham. Prior to this he taught at the universities of Sheffield, Newcastle and Birmingham where he has been a lecturer, reader and now Professor.

John Baldwin's study ... is a timely one ... This is a thoughtful and insightful study of the small-claims procedure in England and Wales which questions many assumptions about the process ... There is much for the policy maker and theorist to reflect on in this small volume. It should surely make both groups think hard about the instrumental and symbolic role of courts and what the idea of access to justice might mean for different groups within the community. It will also provide a platform for the future development of both ethnographic and empirical analysis of the role of the courts and tribunals in providing for the ordinary individual. For all these reasons it is an excellent addition to the Oxford socio-legal series.

• One: Introduction and Background: The Development of Small Claims in England and Wales ; Two: Background to the Study: The County Court Files ; Three: The District Judge's Role at Small Claims Hearings ; Four: Litigants' Perceptions of Small Claims ; Five: The Enforcement of Small Claims Judgments ; Six: Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index