An adjudication under Prison Rule 51 is the formal disciplinary process used when a prisoner is accused of breaking prison rules. It can lead to real consequences, from added days to loss of privileges, so it's worth understanding how the process is supposed to work, and where it sometimes doesn't.
The process, briefly
A charge is laid, the prisoner is given notice of it, and a hearing follows, usually in front of a governor or, for more serious matters, an independent adjudicator. The prisoner has the right to know the case against them and to respond to it. The Prisoner Discipline Procedures (Adjudications) Policy Framework sets out how that process is meant to be run fairly.
Where things go wrong
Procedural failures are more common than people expect: inadequate notice, evidence that isn't properly disclosed, or a hearing that doesn't follow the required steps. When that happens, the issue isn't necessarily whether the underlying allegation is true, it's whether the process used to decide it was fair.
A real example
We represented a prisoner facing a Rule 51 charge and submitted written representations setting out where the correct process under the Prisoner Discipline Procedures (Adjudications) Policy Framework hadn't been followed. The charge was dismissed as a result.
If you're facing a charge, or have already had a hearing
Timing matters with adjudications, so it's worth getting advice as early as possible, ideally before a hearing takes place. If a hearing has already happened and the process didn't feel right, it's still worth having it looked at. Get in touch with the details of the charge and what happened, and we'll tell you plainly whether there's something worth challenging.
This article is general information about prison law and how the system works, not legal advice on your individual circumstances. Every case is different, so if you'd like advice on a specific situation, get in touch and we'll tell you plainly whether we can help.