Supreme Court Rules 1987

(1) Subject to this Order, where a proceeding has been filed in the Alice Springs Registry, a Judge or an Associate Judge may conduct a hearing or conference in respect of the proceeding by means of a videoconference or teleconference.

(2) If a hearing or conference is held under subrule (1):

(a) the Court must provide and meet the expenses of the facilities necessary to enable the hearing or conference to be held by videoconference or teleconference; and

(b) the Court must notify the parties or their solicitors of the place where they may attend the hearing or conference by use of those facilities; and

(c) if the Court file is not held by the Court electronically the Court file must be sent by the Alice Springs Registry to the Darwin Registry in time for the hearing or conference; and

(d) a party seeking to rely at the hearing or conference on an affidavit or other document that was not filed before the Court file was sent to the Darwin Registry may:

(i) email the document to the Darwin Registry; and

(ii) request that a copy of the document be filed in accordance with this subrule; and

(e) if a request is made under paragraph (d)(ii) the Darwin Registry must file the document as soon as possible; and

(f) a copy of a document filed under paragraph (e) is to be treated as if it were the original document duly filed; and

(g) a Judge or an Associate Judge may:

(i) take evidence from witnesses who have taken the oath as witnesses at the hearing or conference; and

(ii) exercise the same powers in relation to the parties and the witnesses as if the parties and the witnesses were physically in the presence of the Judge or Associate Judge.

hearing or conference means a directions hearing, a listing hearing, a case management conference or a settlement conference.