Attending by telephone or video link

The "Request to attend by electronic communication" form is used to seek permission for you/your lawyer/your witness to attend a non-trial court event by telephone or video link. This form must be completed, then eLodged on the eCourts Portal. One form is required for each person attending by telephone or video link. Also, new forms are required for each Court event unless granted leave by Court order.

• Request to attend by electronic communication (Word document)
• Request to attend by electronic communication (PDF document)

Prior to completing the form, you must advise the other party and seek their agreement to your proposal to attend by telephone or video link. The details of the date on which you asked the other party for their consent and whether they agreed are entered into Part E of the form.

For telephone links, if you do not want the other party to know the telephone number for safety reasons, you do not have to provide it in the “Request to attend by electronic communication”. Instead, once your Request has been approved, send a separate email to judicial chambers (if known) or to family.court@justice.wa.gov.au and include the following information in the email:

• File number.
• Parties’ names.
• Event date for which telephone attendance has been approved.
• Name of each person and each telephone number that the Court will need to call on the day.

You will receive an email or telephone call from the Court confirming whether approval has or has not been granted.

Continue to: STEP 2 - After approval to attend by electronic communication

If attendance by telephone has been approved

There is nothing further required. The Court will phone the person or persons attending by telephone on the court event date when the case is due to be heard.

If you need to update the Court with a different telephone link contact number, do so as soon as possible prior to the court event date by sending an email to the judicial chambers (if known), or to family.court@justice.wa.gov.au. The email should include the case file number and parties names, the court event date, and the updated telephone contact details.

Continue to: STEP 4 - On the day of the Court event

If attendance by video link has been approved

Continue to: STEP 3 - Video Link Testing

Telephone Link

One the day of the Court event, the Court will call the person(s) attending by telephone link just before the case is ready to commence. Persons attending by telephone should be in a quiet room with no distractions and ready to answer the telephone.

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Teams Video Link

Prior to the Court event date, persons attending by a Teams video link would have been sent a Teams meeting invite email. About 10 minutes before the appointed start time, open the invite email and click on the link "Click here to join the meeting". Make sure your camera and microphone are working, then mute your microphone until the Court starts the Teams video link meeting and admits you in. The Court will advise you when to unmute  your microphone. Note that it is better to keep your microphone on mute except when you need to speak to avoid any feedback or background noise.

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Commercial Video Link

On the day of your video link, arrive at the video link facility at least 15 minutes before your appointed start time. Staff members at the video link facility should help you get set up for the video link in a dedicated room. They may also have some facility "housekeeping" information to tell you, like location of restrooms, water fountain, fire drills, etc.  The Court will start the video link just before your case is due to be called. 

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Improving internet speed

• Rebooting your modem and/or device can help resolve speed issues.
• A connection to your internet modem directly via cable is faster than Wi-Fi. If using Wi-Fi, try to be as close as possible to the internet modem.
• Multiple devices connected to the same internet Wi-Fi can slow your speed, so try to be the only one using your Wi-Fi connection during the video link.

Room environment

• Use a room that is quiet and free from interruptions from children, pets, or background noises.
• Try to have your back to a wall where no one can pass behind you.
• Ensure plenty of light is in front of you shining on your face.
• If there is a window behind you, shut the curtains and/or blinds to prevent camera glare.
• Make sure the camera is at eye level or higher.
• You may apply a background blur or neutral soft colour image.
• Make sure the device you are using is setup so that the camera is steady and captures your head and shoulders.
• To maintain optimal sound quality, wearing earbuds, earphones, or headphones with a built-in microphone are best.
• Have your microphone muted when you are not speaking. When not muted, avoid feedback from the audio speaker into the microphone. Also minimise paper shuffling or covering the microphone.
• All other electrical devices should be turned off or removed from the room. Mobile phones and smart watches can cause interference with audio.
• Usual court etiquette applies. Dress comfortably in neat casual clothes.
• Minimise the shuffling of paperwork when speaking and follow the directions of the judicial officer about when to speak.

If you have any questions, contact the Court Technology Officer on
08 9224 8285 or email technology.familycourt@justice.wa.gov.au.

If you/your lawyer/your witness need to attend trial by video link or telephone, you should discuss this with the other party/parties in your case prior to the Readiness Hearing to try and reach agreement about the video link or telephone arrangements. You should also discuss the need for a video link or telephone link with the judicial officer at the Readiness Hearing. If appropriate, the judicial officer may make orders at the Readiness Hearing about the attendance at trial by video link or telephone.

If orders are made for attendance at trial by telephone

There is nothing further required. The Court will phone the person or persons attending by telephone on the court event date when the case is due to be heard.

If you need to update the Court with a different telephone link contact number, do so as soon as possible prior to the court event date by sending an email to the judicial chambers (if known), or to family.court@justice.wa.gov.au. The email should include the case file number and parties names, the court event date, and the updated telephone contact details.

Continue to: STEP 4 - On the day of the Court event

If orders are made for attendance at trial by video link

Continue to: Step 3 - Video link testing

If no orders are made for attendance at trial by video link or telephone

Continue to: Step 2 - eLodge a Form 2 Application in a Case and Supporting Affidavit

If no orders for attendance at trial by video link or telephone have been made at the Readiness Hearing or any other Court event, then no later than 28 days prior to trial you will need to eLodge a Form 2 - Application in a Case seeking an order for attendance by video link or telephone, together with an affidavit in support.

• Form 2 - Application in a Case (Word document)
• Form 2 - Application in a Case (PDF document)
• Affidavit Template (Word document)

As to the information that you need to include in the affidavit, see the web page Affidavit Requesting to Attend Trial by Electronic Means.

For telephone links, if you do not want the other party to know the telephone number for safety reasons, please explain this in the supporting affidavit. Once your Request has been approved, send a separate email to judicial chambers (if known) or to family.court@justice.wa.gov.au and include the following information in the email:

• File number.
• Parties’ names.
• Event date for which telephone attendance has been approved.
• Name of each person and each telephone number that the Court will need to call on the day.

If attendance at trial by telephone is approved

There is nothing further required. The Court will phone the person or persons attending by telephone on the court event date when the case is due to be heard.

If you need to update the Court with a different telephone link contact number, do so as soon as possible prior to the court event date by sending an email to the judicial chambers (if known), or to family.court@justice.wa.gov.au. The email should include the case file number and parties names, the court event date, and the updated telephone contact details.

Continue to: STEP 4 - On the day of the Court event

If attendance at trial by video link is approved

Continue to: STEP 3 - Video link testing

Telephone Link

One the day of the Court event, the Court will call the person(s) attending by telephone link just before the case is ready to commence. Persons attending by telephone should be in a quiet room with no distractions and ready to answer the telephone.

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Teams Video Link

Prior to the Court event date, persons attending by a Teams video link would have been sent a Teams meeting invite email. About 10 minutes before the appointed start time, open the invite email and click on the link "Click here to join the meeting". Make sure your camera and microphone are working, then mute your microphone until the Court starts the Teams video link meeting and admits you in. The Court will advise you when to unmute  your microphone. Note that it is better to keep your microphone on mute except when you need to speak to avoid any feedback or background noise.

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Commercial Video Link

On the day of your video link, arrive at the video link facility at least 15 minutes before your appointed start time. Staff members at the video link facility should help you get set up for the video link in a dedicated room. They may also have some facility "housekeeping" information to tell you, like location of restrooms, water fountain, fire drills, etc.  The Court will start the video link just before your case is due to be called. 

Please note that matters may not commence at the appointed time if there are other matters before yours.

See the Tips below

Improving internet speed

• Rebooting your modem and/or device can help resolve speed issues.
• A connection to your internet modem directly via cable is faster than Wi-Fi. If using Wi-Fi, try to be as close as possible to the internet modem.
• Multiple devices connected to the same internet Wi-Fi can slow your speed, so try to be the only one using your Wi-Fi connection during the video link.

Room environment

• Use a room that is quiet and free from interruptions from children, pets, or background noises.
• Try to have your back to a wall where no one can pass behind you.
• Ensure plenty of light is in front of you shining on your face.
• If there is a window behind you, shut the curtains and/or blinds to prevent camera glare.
• Make sure the camera is at eye level or higher.
• You may apply a background blur or neutral soft colour image.
• Make sure the device you are using is setup so that the camera is steady and captures your head and shoulders.
• To maintain optimal sound quality, wearing earbuds, earphones, or headphones with a built-in microphone are best.
• Have your microphone muted when you are not speaking. When not muted, avoid feedback from the audio speaker into the microphone. Also minimise paper shuffling or covering the microphone.
• All other electrical devices should be turned off or removed from the room. Mobile phones and smart watches can cause interference with audio.
• Usual court etiquette applies. Dress comfortably in neat casual clothes.
• Minimise the shuffling of paperwork when speaking and follow the directions of the judicial officer about when to speak.

If you have any questions, contact the Court Technology Officer on
08 9224 8285 or email technology.familycourt@justice.wa.gov.au.