Administrative courts move to in person hearings as general default position

In a listing notice Mr Justice Fordham, Administrative Court Liaison Judge for the Northern and North Eastern Regions, and Mrs Justice Steyn, Liaison Judge for the Administrative Court in Wales, the Midlands and Western Circuits, said that any party wishing to apply for a different mode of hearing will be required to file and serve an application notice (using form N244, and paying the relevant fee).

“The Court retains the ability of its own motion to list a hearing to be heard remotely where appropriate in accordance with the overriding objective (e.g. if a judge authorised to sit in the Planning Court is not available to hear a 30 minute oral renewal hearing in a particular centre, such a hearing may be listed for a remote hearing),” the notice said.

“A different arrangement applies in respect of applications to extend interim orders imposed on health or social work professionals. The default position is that these hearings will be heard remotely (via a video hearing platform). However, it is open to either party to invite the Court to list the hearing in person, which request may be made by email (cc’d to the other parties) and need not be in the form of a formal application notice.­­”