High Court witness actions to be listed for physical hearings by default

High Court witness actions to be listed for physical hearings by default

Ms Justice Mary Irvine

Witness actions in the High Court will be listed for a physical hearing as the “default position” from next week, the president of the High Court has announced.

In a statement on the management of court proceedings in the Michaelmas term, Ms Justice Mary Irvine said remote hearings would only be used for “proceedings and applications that can be heard as fairly and effectively as they would be heard in the course of a physical hearing”.

Affidavit cases, which do not require oral evidence, may be listed for a remote hearing in certain circumstances, according to her notice on the Courts Service website.

She added: “I would like to thank all practitioners and parties in advance for what I know will be their wholehearted co-operation in this plan which is designed to ensure that the High Court can maximise its work output while protecting the safety and welfare of all involved in the administration of justice.”

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