Remote Hearings

The running of the Tribunals is an essential public service. In order to ensure timely access to justice it has become necessary to take steps to introduce new technology to enable hearings to take place remotely.

It has become apparent that because of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions which have been introduced to minimise the risk of spreading the virus, alternative technology solutions are required to ensure that the business of the Tribunals can continue. The decision as to how a hearing is conducted is a matter for the judge who will consult with the parties on the way forward.

We are using a number of solutions to enable hearings to take place including:

Teleconferencing

This has been used to conduct preliminary hearings in the past and will continue to be used as far as is practicable for this purpose. Participants will be contacted at the time indicated in their invitation letters by the office.

Webex

This is an online conferencing solution which allows participation by audio and/or video. Participants will receive an email invitation to join the hearing (known as an “Event”). A guide for participants can be found below.