Remote hearings cannot replicate a court room but they do the next best thing, says Emma Nash
This time last year, we thought we would be waiting years before remote hearings became a regular feature in the family court. When the first lockdown came in March 2020, they were suddenly a reality.
The family justice system could not and did not shut down. Delay would lead to children and families suffering and being put at risk.
So remote hearings were quickly scrambled together, with various platforms being used and applicants and judges alike struggling to get their laptops or mobile phones working in a room at home where they could not be overheard by family members – and where the wifi just about reached.
In the new year things, are different. We have had time to experience, review and adjust the way...
