Sara Morrison vs Belfast Film Festival

[NorthernIrishFeminist]

Employers seem to be slow learners when it comes to women's rights! There’s another employment tribunal case being brought by a woman who attended and took the microphone at a Let Women Speak event in Belfast last year and has been treated very badly by her employer Belfast Film Festival as a result.

Looks like we’re going to have to keep gardening until they get the message.

disclaimer. I don’t know Sara and have no connection to BFF I’m just a woman who likes donating to causes that make a difference

NW
Drama here at the beginning of Day 5 of Morrison v BFF in Belfast. Morrison's legal team have informed the judge that they will not be ready to start until 2pm. The judge is livid. Says it is not for counsel to dictate when court sits.

https://x.com/nickwallis/status/1989304222450348395?t=Kvqg-CzKaWQmU-YxKvufzg&s=19

Ooooh!

<jazz hands>

Drama!

Judge VERY NOT HAPPY.

NC and CE absent. Judge got email (from Mr Chambers?) telling her they wouldn't be able to start til 2. SHE RUNS THE SCHEDULE. Application to be made but she's not been told on what. V BAD ETIQUETTE.

C's solicitor (Mr Russel) apologises profusely and takes blame for very hurried email that failed to 'respectfully request' or give info. New info read 10am today that necessitates application for recusal. NC and CE working on application.

SD cites various bits of case law and says doesnt know detailsbof application yet but will strongly oppose.

Judge asked if application will be private or public. MrvR not sure but thinks private. SD thinks private. NW stands up and asksnfor public, as journalist and in interests of open justice. Judge to consider once has more info.

All rise till 1.

!!!!

My DD moved onto a boat this year. She’s gearing up for the first possible flooding. Luckily the river seems to be OK after one day of heavy rain (or has been so in the past, she’s moved from a waterside property onto the boat).

From NW

Drama here at the beginning of Day 5 of Morrison v BFF in Belfast. Morrison's legal team have informed the judge that they will not be ready to start until 2pm. The judge is livid. Says it is not for counsel to dictate when court sits.

Neither barrister representing Morrison is in court. Her solicitor Simon Chambers is fielding the questions. Judge said she is "disgusted" by being so "heavily disrespected" by one side.

She is furious that neither counsel for Morrison (Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Elves) have had the courtesy to appear before her this morning to explain what is going on.

So who do they want recused and why?

What does this mean 'New info read 10am today that necessitates application for recusal. '???

Neither NC nor CE turned up to explain? As out of character as it is odd and damaging to SM...
Never was WTAF so appropriate!

New info read 10am today that necessitates application for recusal

Recusal of who?

The thot plickens.

Sores Mr Chambers is the solicitor with the natty suits. Thought the judge called him Mr Russell but it was all a bit confused and fraught so I must have misheard.

@BettyBooper It means someone is compromised and/or cannot give an unbiased opinion.

Read = received.

The fact that the dramatics are coming from SM's side is ominous...
if NC was going to demand the recusal of someone from the BFF, it woulnd't be very wise to alienate the judge by just not turning up, would it?

Recusal

A recusal application is a formal request asking a judge to step down from a case because of a conflict of interest, actual bias, or a situation where a reasonable person could question their impartiality.

Such applications are made to ensure fairness and are based on principles like the need for a fair-minded observer to conclude there is a real possibility of bias. While dissatisfaction with rulings is not sufficient grounds, a successful application requires strong evidence of bias.

Ah! Do you think it's the Judge????!!!

Either the Judge or one of the panel members

It must be one of the panel members

This is very unexpected high drama!

😮

They're in their lodgings drafting application. SD said didn't know why couldn't be done in 5 minds - he's done lots. (But at least some of the case law he cited sounded local to NI, so there may be a diff process here that the English team is less familiar with; or may be especially complex application.)

Wasn't one of the panel members getting twitchy at mention of TW being men?

Oh yes! This is true! They went out to discuss didn't they?

Yes

No way Naomi is making an application & pissing off the judge unless it’s GOLD