The Differences between Civilian Courts and Military Tribunals Court vs Tribunal • Rules of evidence are sacred to courts while tribunals adopt a relaxed approach to these rules • In courts, people rarely get a chance to speak and most of the talking is done by lawyers. On the other hand, tribunals encourage people to stand up and speak and lawyers have little role to play in the settlement of disputes. • Courts have the power to adjudicate in a variety of cases whereas tribunals specialize in a particular area. • Litigation in courts is very costly as one has to pay various kinds of fees apart from the fees of attorneys. On the other hand, tribunals prove to be cheaper and quicker for resolution. • The proceedings of a court are presided over by a judge or a magistrate. On the other hand there is a panel comprising a chairman and other members who are experts in the relevant field. • Tribunal has lesser powers than a court. For example, a tribunal cannot order imprisonment of a person which is common for a court. • Tribunals are informal in the sense that there are no special dress codes for different people. On the other hand, courts have a strict code of procedure. • Whereas a solicitor is necessary in case of courts, they are rarely needed in case of tribunals.