Remote Hearings

(asked on 22nd June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether it remains his Department's policy to maintain virtual court hearings as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 29th June 2020

Audio and video technology has long played a role in the court room – they are not a new phenomenon. In response to the current pandemic, HMCTS have increased the capacity for telephone and video hearings so that participants can join hearings remotely where appropriate. Audio and video hearings provide an additional channel for progressing a case, and the decision to hold a hearing this way is for the judge, panel or magistrate, taking into account the needs of the parties and the nature of the hearing.

Our scaled-up audio and video capability includes more BT MeetMe teleconferencing accounts and the roll-out of virtual rooms, via a cloud video platform, to all jurisdictions. Separately, as part of the £1bn HMCTS reform programme, we are testing a bespoke video hearings service that will support court users before and during a hearing.

We will continue to provide options for the use of audio and video technology in hearings and their use will remain subject to judicial discretion.

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