Abstract:
This article critically examines the special advocate procedure, a means devised to reconcile the use of secret evidence with principles of due process or natural justice. The special advocate is a lawyer who is appointed to represent the interests of a person during proceedings in which the state relies on sensitive material that cannot be disclosed to that person. The article traces the origins of the idea of the special advocate procedure, its establishment in the United Kingdom, and its eventual spread to Canada and New Zealand. It then considers: (1) whether special advocates can be effective in ensuring fairness, given the constraints under which they operate; and (2) whether other issues related to their increased use militate against wider adoption.