The hearing

If you and the plaintiff did not settle your case at the pre-trial review your case will usually be listed for a hearing. At the hearing a magistrate or an assessor will consider all the evidence and submissions from both you and the plaintiff before making a decision. 

You can still negotiate with the defendant and try to settle your case before the hearing.

​Preparing for the​ hearing

Before you go to the hearing it is important that you give yourself enough time to prepare. You should:

• ​prepare your witness statements and other evidence
• send your witness statements and other evidence to the plaintiff and the court
• ​review witness statements and other evidence received from the plaintiff
• ​plan what you are going to say in court

• plan what you are going to take to court. 
  

For more information, see Preparing for the heari​ng.

​Going to the hearing

After you have prepared your case it is important to think about how you are going to present it. You may need to think about:

• ​what to do and say in the courtroom
• whether you need to ask for an adjournment
• whether there is any chance of settling the case
• ​how you want to present your evidence. ​​​

​For more information, see Going to the hearing​.