The advice for anyone joining Virtual Hearings is to enter the Courtroom just as they would a physical court.

The Law Society has been working with the Bar of Ireland and the Courts Service to ensure that members and trainee solicitors can access Remote Hearings in a secure fashion.

But there have been some recent instances where individuals have logged on without their microphone muted when the court was already in session, for instance dealing with some 'for mention' matters, or finishing a list. 

Remote Hearings etiquette

To ensure the optimum experience, the Courts Service has provided the following guidance:

• Please treat the virtual courtroom as you would a bricks and mortar courtroom. The rules that apply in court, such as no recording or image capture, still apply in a virtual court unless the Judge gives an individual explicit permission for them to be waived.
• Please ensure your microphone is muted unless and until you have to address the court
• Only those involved in the relevant matter(s) should dial in to the virtual courtroom as participants are limited.

Tips for improving your video conferencing experience

• Ensure that your internet connection for the virtual courtroom is strong, stable and meets the requirements specified. A stable internet connection is key to achieving a successful video call and avoiding disruption.
• Test your connection in advance. Your assigned virtual courtroom will be opened 10 minutes in advance and you may use the connection detail to test your access prior to the sitting. The virtual courtroom will close following completion of the sitting.
• Ensure all applications on your laptop or device are closed, apart from your video stream. Additional applications may interfere with the quality of your video call and access to the virtual courtroom.
• Be aware of how you appear to others on the call. You image will be displayed in the bottom right corner of your screen. Shoulders and Head centred is the recommended position.
• When not actively speaking in the virtual courtroom, you should mute your microphone to reduce feedback and unwanted background noise.
• Clear sound is essential for a good conferencing experience. The microphones on modern laptops are sensitive and it is not advisable to get too close. It is likely you will improve the sound quality for other users by sitting back slightly from your device. You should also ensure your laptop volume is not too high, as this will cause feedback for other users. Try reducing your volume to the minimum that is acceptable to your ears, using headphones is an alternative if feedback becomes an issue.
• Lighting makes a big difference to how you appear to others on the conference. You should ensure you have a good light source directed towards the face and avoid having any light sources behind or directly above you. It is especially important to make sure windows and daylight sources are not behind you. Any daylight source behind you will overwhelm the camera on your laptop and you will not be easily visible.

Further information

Visit the Society's page on Remote Hearings to find out more about how to connect, and a hearings schedule.

• Read all the relevant information here

If you have any queries in regard to the callover or motion list, please contact the relevant list registrar as you would in the normal way.
For any other queries, please email HCmotions@courts.ie with ‘Virtual Courtroom’ in the subject line.