Applications for liberty to hear evidence by way of Video-Conferencing Link should be made to the List Judge or, where a case has been assigned, to the Judge having seisin of that case.

This application should be made not less than three working days prior to the date on which it is intended to hear such evidence.

The solicitor for the party calling the witness is required to do the following:

Undertake to the court to participate fully in all required test-calls to the remote location

To provide the registrar with the necessary technical information in relation to the remote location and the case in which the application is being made (the form at Appendix I to this Practice Direction is to be completed in full and furnished to the court registrar)

To ensure that the appropriate sacred text for taking the oath prior to giving evidence is available to the witness in the remote location

To ensure that the witness in the remote location is provided with any documents (including pleadings) to which he / she may be referred while giving evidence.

Practitioners should note that a successful application to hear evidence using this technology may give rise to a need to transfer a trial to a court room containing the required equipment.

Richard Johnson
President of the High Court
3rd day of May 2007