Dorset Council, GB introduced virtual family court hearings in response to COVID-19

Dorset Council, GB COVID-19 Virtual Family Court Hearings

Complete

The local family judge asked the council to develop a process for virtual hearings that complied with legal requirements. Dorset Council selected Skype as the video conferencing medium due to its common use among judges, attorneys, and hearing participants. Personnel from Children's Services, the Child Care Legal Team, and other departments used Microsoft Teams for rapid responses to new issues. Council personnel trained judges to manage and record hearings.

Legal Court Management Video Conferencing Outbreak / COVID

Dorset Council, GB

Unitary authority in England

United Kingdom

Products

Skype

With Skype to Skype calls, group video calls, instant messaging, phone number calls, and screen sharing, there are more ways to connect.

Microsoft Teams

Bring together all of your team’s conversations, files, and tools in a single workspace with Microsoft Teams in Office 365.

Newsworthy

COVID-19: good council practice | Local Government Association

Councils are doing remarkable work to address COVID-19, pooling resources, responding to new problems and coming up with creative solutions.

Project Succeeded

The family court held its first virtual hearing one day after Dorset Council was asked to create the new process.

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