The hearing

If you and the defendant did not settle your case at the pre-trial review, your case will be listed for a hearing. At the hearing a magistrate or an assessor will consider all the evidence and submissions from you and the defendant, and then make 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 defendant and the court
• receive witness statements and other evidence from the defendant
• file and serve subpoenas if the court gave you permission to do so
• 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 hearing​. 

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​. ​