25. Remote / hybrid hearing preparation

Who decides whether a hearing is remote, hybrid or in person?

The court does.

Under FPR 4.1, the court has power to conduct a hearing and receive evidence by telephone or another method of direct oral communication.

The June 2026 Family Remote Participation Guidance confirms that listing and the mode of hearing remain judicial functions. The court decides whether the hearing will be:

• fully attended in person;
• fully remote;
• partly remote / hybrid;
• by video;
• or, where appropriate, by telephone.

What is a hybrid hearing?

The current guidance uses the term partly remote hearing.

This is commonly described as a hybrid hearing: some participants are physically at the hearing venue while one or more others join by video or telephone.

For example:

• both parents and the judge may be in court while an expert joins by video;
• one vulnerable party may join remotely while others attend;
• a professional witness may give evidence remotely;
• or different arrangements may operate on different days of a multi-day hearing.

What if you want the hearing mode changed?

Raise the issue promptly.

The June 2026 guidance states that where the court has not already directed a remote hearing, a party seeking remote participation should make a formal and timely application and pay any applicable fee.

The request should explain the reason rather than merely stating a preference.

Relevant matters might include:

• disability or health;
• domestic abuse and safety;
• ability to travel;
• an intermediary or interpreter;
• technology access;
• the nature of the evidence;
• the hearing's complexity;
• or why remote participation would improve or impair access to justice.

Technology preparation is part of hearing preparation

A remote hearing depends on the participant being able to see, hear, follow the bundle and communicate with the court.

Do not test that for the first time five minutes before the hearing.

Check the joining instructions

The court should tell you which platform or telephone arrangement is being used.

HMCTS currently provides guidance for the Cloud Video Platform (CVP), but the joining instructions sent by your court are controlling.

CVP preparation

HMCTS recommends testing CVP before the hearing and currently recommends a laptop or desktop computer where possible.

Check:

• browser compatibility;
• camera permission;
• microphone permission;
• speaker volume;
• your display name;
• and whether the test call works from the network you will actually use.

Prepare the room

HMCTS guidance recommends a quiet environment with a plain background and good lighting.

For family proceedings, privacy is particularly important.

The room should ordinarily be:

• quiet;
• private;
• free from interruptions;
• appropriately lit;
• free from other people unless their presence has been permitted;
• and arranged so confidential court papers cannot be viewed by others.

Headphones?

Headphones can improve privacy and reduce feedback, but make sure:

• the microphone works clearly;
• you can still hear alarms or necessary communications;
• the battery will last if they are wireless;
• and you have a fallback if they disconnect.

The hearing is remote — the documents still need to be court-ready

Remote attendance does not remove bundle rules or filing deadlines.

Have ready:

1. the hearing notice;
2. the latest sealed order;
3. the current court bundle;
4. your position statement or hearing note;
5. a concise chronology where relevant;
6. the orders or directions you seek;
7. and a list of the important bundle page references.

Know the exact page

Remote advocacy becomes much harder when a party repeatedly says:

“It's somewhere in the bundle.”

Prepare references such as:

Never record the hearing yourself

FPR 27.9 provides for the court's official recording of hearings.

Participants must not make their own unauthorised recording.

HMCTS guidance expressly warns against:

• audio recording;
• video recording;
• photographs;
• and screenshots of the hearing.

Do not share the joining link casually

Family hearings are usually private proceedings.

A person cannot simply forward the joining details to a friend, relative or supporter and assume they may observe.

If somebody will support you, contact the court in advance and make sure the court knows who they are and in what capacity they propose to attend.

Confidential documents remain confidential

Remote working creates additional practical risks:

• screen sharing the wrong document;
• sending confidential evidence to the wrong email address;
• leaving the bundle visible in a shared room;
• allowing other household members to overhear evidence;
• or using a workplace device or network without considering privacy.

Domestic abuse, vulnerability and support during a remote hearing

Remote participation should not be assumed to solve vulnerability or domestic-abuse problems.

For some people, appearing from a safe location improves participation.

For others, remote proceedings make it harder to:

• understand what is happening;
• communicate privately with a supporter or legal adviser;
• manage trauma responses;
• follow rapid discussion of documents;
• give evidence effectively;
• access an interpreter or intermediary;
• or maintain a safe environment away from an abusive person.

Part 3A applies fully to remote hearings

The June 2026 guidance expressly confirms that the vulnerability framework in Part 3A applies equally to remote and partly remote hearings.

The court should consider the likely impact of remote participation on a vulnerable person.

McKenzie Friend support

A litigant in person may ordinarily receive reasonable assistance from a McKenzie Friend, subject to the court's control of proceedings.

A McKenzie Friend may ordinarily:

• provide moral support;
• take notes;
• help with papers;
• and quietly provide advice.

They do not automatically have a right to address the judge, make submissions or question witnesses.

Other support people

HMCTS guidance also permits people to request a support person during telephone or video hearings, subject to the court's approval.

The court should be told:

• who the person is;
• why their support is requested;
• how they will support you;
• and whether they will join from the same or a separate location.

On the day: remote courtroom discipline

HMCTS guidance recommends being ready at least 20 minutes before the hearing.

Use that time to:

• open the joining link;
• check the camera and microphone;
• close unnecessary programs;
• silence notifications;
• open the bundle;
• put the latest order and hearing note within reach;
• and confirm the court contact details in case the connection fails.

Video etiquette

Treat the screen as the courtroom.

That means:

• dress appropriately;
• remain visible unless the court tells you otherwise;
• mute when appropriate;
• do not eat or smoke;
• do not conduct other work while the hearing continues;
• do not send unrelated messages while witnesses give evidence;
• do not interrupt;
• and remember that your reactions may remain visible even when you are not speaking.

Giving evidence remotely

If you are giving oral evidence, the seriousness is exactly the same as giving evidence from the witness box.

You may be required to take an oath or affirmation.

You should:

• be alone unless the court has approved another person's presence;
• not receive prompts or private answers from another person;
• have access only to documents permitted for use while giving evidence;
• tell the judge immediately if you cannot hear or understand a question;
• avoid speaking over others;
• and follow any ground rules or participation directions.

Telephone hearings

Telephone hearings can be appropriate for some shorter or procedural hearings but remove visual cues and make document navigation more difficult.

When participating by telephone:

• say your name before speaking if participants may not recognise your voice;
• avoid speakerphone where it creates echo or confidentiality problems;
• have documents open separately;
• pause before speaking so you do not talk over the judge;
• and tell the court immediately if the call becomes unclear or drops out.

Hybrid hearings require extra awareness

A remote participant may be at a practical disadvantage if people physically in court:

• speak away from microphones;
• refer to documents not available electronically;
• have conversations the remote party cannot hear;
• or move rapidly between bundle documents without page references.

If you cannot hear, see or follow proceedings, say so immediately.

Technical failure, changing the hearing mode and the final preparation audit

What if the technology fails?

Do not disappear silently.

If possible:

1. try to reconnect;
2. use the backup joining route if one has been provided;
3. contact the court immediately using the details on the hearing notice;
4. explain whether you can hear, see or participate at all;
5. and keep a note of the time and nature of the technical failure.

The judge can change course

If the hearing format is no longer workable, the court can reconsider it.

The June 2026 guidance expressly recognises that the hearing mode can be changed at short notice.

Depending on the circumstances, the court might:

• pause while the problem is corrected;
• permit a participant to reconnect by another means;
• change from video to telephone for part of the hearing;
• adjourn briefly;
• relist the hearing in person;
• or continue only with issues that can fairly be addressed.

Current judicial factors

The JSH remote-hearing audit

25 questions to answer before joining

Primary sources and official guidance

1. Courts and Tribunals Judiciary — Remote Participation Guidance 2026 — current cross-jurisdictional and Family Court remote-participation material.
2. Remote Hearings in the Family Jurisdiction — June 2026 — current Family Court guidance on remote, partly remote and attended hearings.
3. Family Procedure Rules — Part 1 — overriding objective and active case management, including use of technology.
4. Family Procedure Rules — Part 4 — case-management powers including remote hearings and methods of direct oral communication.
5. Family Procedure Rules — Part 3A — vulnerability, live-link measures and effective participation.
6. Practice Direction 3AA — participation directions, vulnerable parties, evidence and ground-rules hearings.
7. Family Procedure Rules — Part 22 — evidence and power to permit witnesses to give evidence by video link or other means.
8. Practice Direction 22A — Written Evidence / Video Conferencing Guidance — procedural guidance concerning video evidence.
9. Family Procedure Rules — Part 27 — hearings, official recording and restriction on unofficial recording.
10. HMCTS — What to expect when joining a telephone or video hearing — practical preparation, joining, etiquette and recording restrictions.
11. HMCTS — How to join a Cloud Video Platform hearing — current CVP equipment, testing and joining guidance.
12. HMCTS — Support during a telephone or video hearing — obtaining approval for a support person at a remote hearing.
13. Practice Guidance: McKenzie Friends — reasonable assistance, confidentiality and limits of the McKenzie Friend role.