What will happen at a Directions Hearing ?

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Attending the hearing

If you are attending the Directions Hearing in person (rather than by telephone link), you will need to wait outside near the court room until it is time for your matter.

If you are attending by telephone link, you need to take the telephone call and wait until your matter is reached.

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Names announced

When it is time for your matter, the names of the parties involved in the complaint will be announced by the Tribunal Member’s 'associate'. The associate is one of the Tribunal Registry staff who assists the Tribunal Member.

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Where to sit

If you are attending in person, you should come into the court room and sit at the table in front of the Tribunal Member. The Complainant usually sits at the right hand side of the table (on the Tribunal Member’s left) and the Respondent usually sits on the left hand side (on the Member’s right). If you are not sure where to go, the associate will show you.

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The Tribunal Member (or President)

You may notice that when lawyers talk to the Tribunal Member they refer to them as 'President' or 'Member' or 'Madam' or 'Sir'. Lawyers also usually stand up whenever they are talking to the Tribunal Member. You may want to do this as well, but you won’t get in trouble and it won’t affect your case if you don’t.

You need to listen carefully to what the Tribunal Member says.

The Tribunal Member may ask one of the parties to explain what has happened so far.

If the other party says something you disagree with, try not to interrupt or become angry. The Tribunal Member will make sure you have a turn to talk. When it is your turn, you can tell the Tribunal Member if you think the other side has said something you don’t agree with.

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Making Orders

After the Tribunal Member has heard from all the parties, the Member will order Directions telling the parties what they now have to do. Often the Tribunal Member will start doing this by saying 'I order...'

If you can, you should make a note of these orders, particularly if it is only a short time until you have to do something. The Tribunal Registry will write to you after the Directions Hearing confirming the Directions which have been ordered.

If you don’t understand what you have to do, you should tell the Tribunal Member. Although Tribunal Members cannot give you advice about how to prove your case or legal advice, they will explain what has been said and any Directions that have been ordered.

After the Directions have been ordered, the Tribunal Member will tell you that the Directions Hearing is finished. You can then leave the court room or hang up the telephone.

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