{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/employment-tribunals-constitution-and-rules-of-procedure-regulations-2004/regulation-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/employment-tribunals-constitution-and-rules-of-procedure-regulations-2004/regulation-3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2004/1861",
  "legislation_title": "The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/employment-tribunals-constitution-and-rules-of-procedure-regulations-2004",
  "path": "regulation/3",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Overriding objective",
  "text": "(1) The overriding objective of these regulations and the rules in Schedules 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is to enable tribunals and chairmen to deal with cases justly.\n(2) Dealing with a case justly includes, so far as practicable: —\n(a) ensuring that the parties are on an equal footing;\n(b) dealing with the case in ways which are proportionate to the complexity or importance of the issues;\n(c) ensuring that it is dealt with expeditiously and fairly; and\n(d) saving expense.\n(3) A tribunal or chairman shall seek to give effect to the overriding objective when it or he: —\n(a) exercises any power given to it or him by these regulations or the rules in Schedules 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; or\n(b) interprets these regulations or any rule in Schedules 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.\n(4) The parties shall assist the tribunal or the chairman to further the overriding objective.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2004/2351",
      "affecting_title": "The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2004/2351",
      "affecting_title": "The Employment Tribunals (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/2683",
      "affecting_title": "The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Order 2008"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/2683",
      "affecting_title": "The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Order 2008"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/1861/regulation/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T05:22:25.818339+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}