Joint E-Hearings Task Force Releases Best Practices For Remote Hearings

During the COVID-19 pandemic, courts and tribunals in Ontario and across the country are turning to video conferences to allow litigants to access justice while still obeying social distancing rules. A number of organisations are posting advice to lawyers and self-represented litigants about how these hearings are similar to, and how they differ from, in person hearings. Most recently, a joint E-Hearings Task Force of The Advocates' Society, the Ontario Bar Association, the Federation of Ontario Law Associations, and the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association released a comprehensive document on Best Practices for Remote Hearings. This article synthesizes some of their advice to help lawyers and parties who might be participating in these remote hearings.