The short version
- Hearings happen in a small meeting-style room, in private — no public gallery, no media.
- The referee runs it. Whoever made the claim speaks first, then the other side — and the referee will often try to help you settle your dispute, before deciding themselves if necessary.
- Most hearings take around an hour, and the Tribunal aims to get you one within about six weeks of filing.
- The decision is binding, and the right to appeal is very narrow — so it pays to go in prepared!
If the word "hearing" conjures a courtroom drama, relax: a Disputes Tribunal hearing is closer to a structured meeting than a trial. That's by design — the whole point of the Tribunal is that ordinary people can sort real disputes without lawyers, legalese or theatre.
Before the day
Once your claim is in, you'll be sent a notice with the hearing date, time and place. Between now and then, three things are worth doing early:
- Send your evidence in ahead of time — to the Tribunal and to the other party, with your CIV number on it. Our guide on preparing your evidence covers this properly.
- Need an interpreter? The Tribunal provides independent interpreters free of charge — but ask early, not 2 days before.
- Can't attend in person? Hearings can be held by video conference or phone, as long as you have a good reason. Ask when you get your notice.
The room, and who's in it
Forget Ally McBeal: the Tribunal is a small room set up like a meeting room, with chairs around a table. Hearings are private — closed to the public and the media.
| Who | Their part |
|---|---|
| You and the other party | You each speak for yourselves — lawyers can't represent anyone at the Tribunal |
| The referee | Runs the hearing, asks questions, tries to help you settle, and makes the binding decision |
| Witnesses | Answer questions from both parties and the referee |
| A support person | Welcome to sit with you, but only speaks if the referee asks (it's important they stick to that rule) |
| An insurer | Can have a say if the outcome affects them — common in car-accident cases |
How it runs
- The referee opens by explaining how the hearing will work. There are no trick questions, and no formal protocol to follow, just common sense.
- The applicant — whoever made the claim — explains their side first. Reading from written notes is completely fine.
- The other party explains theirs.
- Questions go back and forth: the referee asks both of you, witnesses get asked by everyone.
- The referee will often see whether the two of you can reach an agreement right there. Plenty of cases settle at the table — that's a win, not a surrender.
- If you don't settle, the referee decides — usually on the spot, sometimes posted to both parties afterwards. If something important is missing, the hearing can be adjourned to a later date instead.
Keep it simple
The referees are trained for mediating the Tribunal — many are legally qualified, but the job is common-sense fairness, not legal theatre. You don't need to cite Acts or use the right magic words. Speak plainly and stick to what happened, when, what it cost you, and what you want. Dates and documents beat fancy adjectives here.
The decision — and what it means
Here is the one place the Tribunal does become like a court of law - the referee's decision becomes a binding order, enforceable like a court order. If the other side doesn't do what it says by the deadline in the decision, you can have the District Court enforce it — there's more on that (and what it costs) in our fees and costs guide.
Walk in with the strongest argument
Only one shot means preparation is everything. Evidence Pack turns your story and your files into a clear, annotated, Tribunal-ready pack — so on the day, you just tell it how it is.