Hearing preparation checklist

Remember: You and the other parties can agree to go into mediation at any time, up to and including the hearing.

Getting started

Read the section called “Preparing for and attending the Tribunal hearing” in the Tribunal’s guide.

Read the Tribunal’s Guidelines for virtual proceedings.
Make sure you and your witnesses have all the necessary equipment, and a quiet, private place to participate.

Select all the documents that you want the Tribunal Member to see or hear about in support of your case- these are your “proposed exhibits”.
Note for yourself which witnesses will identify each document.
Send your list of proposed exhibits and a copy of each proposed exhibit to the Tribunal and the other parties.
Make additional copies if the Tribunal instructs you to do so.

If you can, do some research to find other human rights cases with similar issues to yours.
Provide the Tribunal and the other parties with links to cases that you want to refer to during your argument.

Complete the Record of Appearances at Hearings Form and return it to the Tribunal.

Obtain any summons that you may need for your witnesses to attend the hearing.
Prepare the questions you plan to ask each of your witnesses and the other parties’ witnesses.
Tell your witnesses where the hearing will take place and when (date and time) they are expected to testify at the hearing.
If any of your witnesses need accommodations, such as interpretation, contact your registry officer as soon as possible.
Tell your witnesses that if they want to swear an oath on a sacred item, they need to bring this item with them.
Provide your witnesses with a copy of the Witness Information Sheet and any proposed exhibits you plan to ask them questions about.

Think of any preliminary issues you may want to raise at the start of the hearing.
Prepare your opening statement (optional).
Plan what you are going to say in your testimony.
Prepare your closing argument. Note: You don’t need to prepare this in advance – it is usually easier to work on this as the evidence comes out during the hearing.