InBrief

Since March 2007, the Supreme Court has made a telephone conference service available in the Common Law Division for matters at the directions hearing stage. The court recommends this service to the profession, specifically in matters where the parties have previously conferred and directions can be made by consent.

It is essential that parties discuss any proposed orders before seeking entry into the telephone directions list. The efficient operation of the list depends upon both sides engaging in meaningful dialogue before the date of the directions hearing.

Briefly, telephone conferences are conducted each Tuesday morning before the Common Law case management registrar, and at other times by special arrangement.

To have a matter added to the list, parties should send a fax to the registrar on ph: (02) 9230 8827.

Once the matter is in the list, parties should fax any proposed orders to the registrar by 5pm on the day before the scheduled telephone hearing.

On the day of the directions hearing, parties must phone in five minutes before the allotted time. This ensures the list runs on-time and no one is kept waiting unncessarily.

For those interested in using the telephone conference service, go to http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/sc and click on the link "Telephone Directions in the Common Law Division"

13 November 2008