HUGH & SAWER (APPEARANCE ELECTRONICALLY OF INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S LAWYER)

In the matter of *Hugh & Sawyer*, the applicant father sought to rely on further material at a hearing before Bennett J. The independent children's lawyer (ICL) sought to appear electronically at the hearing.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the ICL should be permitted to appear electronically, and if so, under what conditions. A secondary issue concerned the timing and service of any further material the father wished to rely upon, and the reservation of objections to that material.

Bennett J ordered that the ICL be permitted to appear electronically by telephone at the upcoming hearing. The court further directed that any additional material the father intended to rely upon must be served on the mother and the ICL by facsimile or email by 5:30 pm on the day of the hearing. Objections to this material were reserved until the following day. The father was also ordered to pay the ICL's costs of the day, fixed at $275, by 16 July 2010.