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ADVICE 2:     PARTICIPATION BY VIDEO CONFERENCING

The Tribunal will be utilising its new Video Conferencing (VC) facilities on a regular basis for the conduct of full hearings (and other listings where appropriate).  To assist parties in using the Tribunal VC facilities, the following requirements and processes will be adopted.

Please note the Tribunal will reserve the use of VC for primary representatives and witnesses who may require visual participation in a hearing.  Until the limits of the system have been fully tested, the Tribunal will restrict appearance by video conference to 6-8 connections.

The Tribunal will now be using Microsoft Teams for Video Conferencing.  For information about Microsoft Teams you can find it here.

In order to use the VC facilities you must have:

  1. A stable internet connection.
  2. Computer desktop/laptop with webcam and microphone.  The computer should have a web browser or Microsoft Teams app installed.
  3. The computer/location from which you participate in the test phases set out below, MUST be the location you intend to be connected to the full hearing.

Testing Requirements:

If you request VC for either yourself or any witnesses, the following requirements will apply:

  1. All persons nominated to be connected by VC must arrange for an appointment with a Tribunal officer to individually connect to the VC system of the Tribunal no later than 2 weeks prior to the hearing to test individual connections (if not already tested).
  2. Support administrative staff may attend this appointment rather than legal practitioners or witnesses.  However, the test connection must be made to the computer/location from which the person intends to connect to the full hearing VC.
  3. If you cannot support the connection by VC, you may participate by telephone conference.

If these arrangements give rise to any objections or concerns over a denial of Natural Justice, parties may make written applications to vary participation arrangements. Submissions will need to address the reasons why remote attendance would give rise to a denial of Natural Justice.

PLEASE NOTE: The location from where you connect, whether as a party or a member of the public, is considered “Court Premises” pursuant to the Court Security Act 2017.

The recording of proceedings whether in person, by telephone conference or video conference is not permitted under any circumstances and you must obey lawful directions issued by a Tribunal officer as if present at the Tribunal hearing rooms.