Jo Phoenix vs The OU Employment Tribunal 2nd October (whispers Ben Cooper)

[ickky]

Employment Tribunal starts next Monday, not sure if it is available for remote viewing.

I have sent a request so we will see.

I don't really know why this timetable hasn't just been circulated to the parties electronically?

She's enjoying wasting everyone's time, i can see that.

Totally unnecessary time wasting. Is this going to be reissued every time it need rejigging due to overuns. At this rate half the ET time will be taken up by the timetable

Seems deliberate

I try to imagine this behaviour where I work, and it just wouldn't fly.

Don't talk about the meeting, just have the god damn meeting.

I've seen a lot of hearings one way or another over decades. I have never before seen a judge who has done this.

She's useless.

Poor Jo.

I wonder how much this discussion of timetable has cost so far?

I can't see many people accessing remotely at all. Worried now about disconnecting as I have a meeting in case I don't get back in later.

There are 26 observers, and 7 of them I assume are connected to court. That is pretty shocking considering the level of interest in this case.

She's crap with names and titles too.

Has the Judge given the Judge's pronouns?
I think in the interests of Open Justice we should know.

She also seems to have trouble with titles and pronouncing names. And confusing people with similar names and missing some people out. We're all human but you would expect someone who has spent their professional life at the Bar doing this kind of stuff to be better at the detail.

Sorry, I'm probably not giving her a fair chance but really the others must be grinding their teeth in frustration.

Sneery and Snarky, they sound like baddies. 😂

Just dropping this here in case any of us feel the need to make use of it, in order to express dissatisfaction at the process / technology:

Complaints procedure - HM Courts & Tribunals Service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Oh God, she's scheduling a 15 minute break in about 10 days time.

I am sure that Ben Cooper can manage a useless judge. And even if he doesn't, it's the appeal that sets the precedent. It's a long game.

Wouldn't this usually be behind closed doors, case management hearing?

I don't recall this happening in any of the other Tribunals I have seen.

Just thinking the same @ickky

Microphone on bench now seems to be so sharp now it just picked up the sound of a highlighter.

Why do witnesses have to give page numbers for evidence? Usually it is the barrister.

She wants witnesses to give page numbers when referring to documents. Surely that's what Counsel does when questioning the witness?

If that's a response to me posting the complaints link, I provided it from the perspective of a lack of genuine open justice (limited numbers, poor AV quality), not having learned lessons in using technology from previous similar tribunals etc, not the legal side of things.

Non-downloadable bundle to be available to obervers (thank you BC!)