Dear Colleagues,
As you are aware, we are now conducting the Callovers of the upcoming family law and civil weeks for hearing over the coming days. These Callovers, the next one being the 23rd of June 2020, will be conducted in the office without the need for parties or their legal representatives to attend. We require that the parties or their legal representatives submit via email their application for a hearing date for the two weeks commencing the 7th of July if correspondence has already not been sent into the court office previously on foot of the letter containing the court's questionnaire. Said email MUST include completed Questionnaire sent out by Tullamore Court Office (which must include an estimated duration of the hearing AND the total number of person who will attend at the hearing, including the solicitors, counsel, parties and witnesses), the office can send out the questionnaire if required. All emails should be submitted to the tullamorecourtoffice@courts.ie email address. All emails in relation to the callover must received in the office by the 19th of June 2020.
The presiding Judge will strictly enforce Social Distancing rules and will issue one warning only in respect of any breach of same and any further breach will lead to the immediate cancellation of the Courts.
Accordingly no more than 6 persons may be in the bar room at any one time. Some Consultation rooms are available for use at this time with signage as to maximum capacity of room thereon.
Each case will receive a hearing date and time of commencement (if applicable). Punctual attendance at the time of the hearing is essential otherwise the case may lose it’s hearing slot.
The County Registrar will allocate hearing times and dates during the period allocated for receipt of emails before each Callover.
Please note that all possession matters in the Callover will stand adjourned to a date no earlier than October to be confirmed. All defendants in possession cases will be written to advising them of the adjournment date.
Once a hearing date is assigned, Adjournments will NOT be granted save by leave of the Judge.
We will now be recommencing the hearing of civil and family law motions and case progressions using the normal scheduled motion dates in June. These motions will be heard in strict compliance with social distancing rules in both Tullamore and Portlaoise Courthouses.
Again where the parties have agreed the terms of the motion/case progression or an adjournment of same, they can be emailed it to us at least two days before the hearing and same will be ruled by the County Registrar without the need for the parties to attend.
Possessions:
Please note that all possession matters will stand adjourned to a date no earlier than October to be confirmed (due to the Irish Government moratorium on repossessions). All defendants in possession cases will be written to advising them of the adjournment date.
Motions:
It is anticipated that we will list Motions in batches of ten during each hourly slot on any given Motion date. Family Law Motion will commence at 10:30 a.m. and thereafter followed by Civil Motions to commence at 11:30 a.m. all in batches of ten per hour.
Case Progression:
As with Motions above, it is anticipated that we will list Case Progression cases in batches of ten, commencing at 10:00 a.m. and thereafter hourly in batches of ten to completion of the Case Progression List.
We would recommend that practitioners would organise a rota of agents attending the motion/case progression lists who could assist colleagues and therefore reduce the number of practitioners having to attend. In any event, the use of agents where possible is preferred.
It is my intention to continue as before, and read all papers in advance of the hearings to reduce the time in court and accordingly practitioners should email me their written submissions or authorities AT LEAST 2 days in advance.
Kind Regards
Paul Fetherstonhaugh
County Registrar for Laois / Offaly
Notice dated 28th May 2020