Expansion to NSW and the ACT
From Monday 11 November 2024, the New South Wales (NSW) registries (including Albury and Lismore) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will join an expanded Webex pilot. This follows a successful initial pilot with judges and registrars conducted nationally earlier this year.
During the pilot, the following electronic court events (in NSW and the ACT) will be conducted using the Webex platform:
Family Law proceedings
- Registrars:
- First return lists before Judicial Registrars
- Directions hearings and Mentions before Judicial Registrars
- Interim defended hearings before Senior Judicial Registrars that are conducted electronically
- Dispute resolution conferences that are conducted electronically
- Judges:
- Interim defended hearings that are conducted electronically
- Defended hearings that are conducted electronically
- Other short hearings conducted electronically (such as mentions and directions hearings)
General Federal Law proceedings
- Hearings before Judges that are conducted electronically
- Other short hearings conducted electronically (such as directions hearings and interlocutory hearings)
Parties and practitioners appearing in virtual matters listed before a judicial officer in NSW/ACT registries will no longer receive listing emails from chambers containing a Microsoft Teams link before their Court event. Webex links will be available in the Commonwealth Courts Portal and the daily Court List prior to the Court event.
Why Webex?
Webex utilises one static link that is made visible on the Commonwealth Courts Portal when the matter is listed and on the daily Court list from 4pm, the day before the Court event.
This makes things easier for Court users, because they don't have to search through emails for the correct Microsoft Teams link before a court event. It also improves efficiencies for the Courts, allowing staff to better support judges, registrars, and the matters they handle.
How do I access the Webex link?
There are 2 ways to access Webex links for a Court event:
- Visit the daily Court List:
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Click the Webex link (listed above the name of the presiding judicial officer) to enter the virtual courtroom. Example:
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For matters that are conducted by phone, dial in details are provided (listed above the name of the presiding judicial officer). Example:
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- Log in to the Commonwealth Courts Portal.
- Go to ‘Court Events and Orders’.
- Copy the link for the Court event and paste it into a web browser.
Participants can join a Webex hearing by video and audio, or audio only, from a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
When participants join the hearing, the experience is similar to Microsoft Teams.
For more information about attending electronic court events see, Electronic hearings.
Family law and general federal law matters outside of NSW/ACT
As this is a pilot, all other electronic Court events for matters heard by Family Law or General Federal Law Judges or Family Law Registrars outside of NSW and ACT will continue to be conducted via Microsoft Teams.
In certain circumstances, dispute resolution conferences listed outside of the NSW/ACT registries may be conducted via Webex. If this is the case, the affected parties and practitioners will be advised of the relevant contact details in advance of the conference.
Training and helpful resources
The Courts will run online training sessions in the week commencing 18 November 2024, covering:
- How to access the Webex link
- How to join Webex from your web browser or app
- How to join Webex by phone
- Webex participant controls, including video and audio settings
- Webex hearing procedure and etiquette
Please register your interest to attend one of these sessions, by completing the registration form.
Parties and practitioners should refresh and familiarise themselves with the following resources relating to Webex Court events:
- Practitioner and Litigant Guide to Electronic Hearings for information relevant to connecting to, participating and engaging in Webex virtual Court hearings.
- Electronic hearings for information relevant to participating in virtual Court hearings, including Court etiquette.
- Cisco Webex | Test online meeting for practitioners and parties to familiarise themselves with a Webex meeting prior to their virtual Court event.
The Webex experience is similar to Microsoft Teams.
Your support
The Courts are committed to ensuring that parties and practitioners are confident in the use of Webex as outlined in ‘Training and helpful resources’ section above. We ask that practitioners assist unrepresented parties with information about how to access the daily Court list and Webex details, where necessary.
If you experience any difficulties with the Webex platform, please contact the Chambers of the presiding judicial officer, ensuring that both parties are copied into such correspondence in line with the Courts’ Communicating with Chambers protocol.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions about the extended Webex pilot by email to suggestions@fcfcoa.gov.au.
Thank you for your participation and cooperation with this important initiative.
