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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Decision making and appeals  →  Thread

Attending a hearing via the internet using smart phone etc

tom
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WRO/FIS, Dundee North Law Centre

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Hi Just received a “questionnaire” from Jurisdictional Manager for HMCTS asking me whether I would in principle agree to a hearing via the internet.  It appears to be solely regarding domiciliary hearings - now know as out of centre hearings. Has anyone else received such a questionnaire? I am somewhat concerned for the implications.

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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No, but this is very much how the future will look when combined with alternate dispute resolution processes to replace tribunal hearings. Any chance you could anonymise and post up a copy?

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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I got one of these recently. They’d tried setting up a hearing over Skype before finally agreeing to the domiciliary; I think there were some policy reconsiderations along the way too.

My reply was based more around the problems that I have with video links. Having dealt with a few appeals with the Pensions Service via video link I find that the absence of non verbal cues means I’m much more likely to lose my rag when the other side say something preposterous.

I can see that some of my service users would have problems if these were imposed.

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Gareth Morgan
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CEO, Ferret, Cardiff

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There is a little bit of a technical issue here. The letter refers to “having the necessary equipment” but doesn’t explain what that might be. There are a whole pile of special technologies that can help people with disabilities to get digital access; are they thinking of things like this or are they just expecting to see a handheld smartphone, in somebody’s shaky grip being sufficient?

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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Smartphone, tablet or PC appears to be the answer so presumably they’re thinking of something cross platform and OS agnostic? I would think that for most reps. one of those would be available (albeit perhaps not always through their employer). The more relevant question would be how appellants would feel about it. That in turn, would possibly be dictated by the practicalities of accessibility and the extent to which the appellant would need to participate.

Interesting times.

tom
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WRO/FIS, Dundee North Law Centre

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Hi apologies for delay in responding to request for copy. I met with relevant HMCTS management team in Scotland last week and they had not even heard of this suggestion.  However I have responded for law centre raising concerns over the matters of natural justice, how can they ensure person in room on own when using a smartphone - or even if its the appellant etc etc.  Presumably its a cost savings exercise as it is clearly not aiming to improve tribunal judgments.

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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This will be a process for a minority of cases and that would potentially address such concerns. So, if client is housebound, immobilized, in hospital, unable to communicate without assistance and so on. Scenarios in which coaching etc. are unlikely.

Personally I hope they use Periscope (look it up) and then you could send the tribunal loads of hearts when they ask good questions 😊 Huge potential for “Say something” to be abused… but that’s another story!!!

John Birks
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Welfare Rights and Debt Advice - Stockport Council

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The court estates closures are on by the look of things.

Modernisation and “other ways” coming soon?

Some 140 courts across Britain will be closed, Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Justice, has just announced.
He said that his list of proposed court closures will be consultative. If communities can make good cases for their courts to stay open, he will reconsider.

09:37 - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/pmqs/11740466/Final-PMQs-live-David-Cameron-and-Harriet-Harman-in-bitter-clash-over-welfare-cuts.html

John Birks
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Welfare Rights and Debt Advice - Stockport Council

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More details

https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/proposal-on-the-provision-of-court-and-tribunal-es/user_uploads/reform-estates-national-consultation_official-sensitive_final.pdf


I also noticed this from another reputable website

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=104038

... been a tough 10 months but finally had my skype hearing Monday and had my outcome by first class post yesterday

[ Edited: 16 Jul 2015 at 12:41 pm by John Birks ]