Not a hospital car park

Grizebeck

That's easy 
Get a free voip number ! And use a soft phone ( sipgate etc) to take the call

fineclaret

Grizebeck said:

That's easy 
Get a free voip number ! And use a soft phone ( sipgate etc) to take the call

Surely to use Voice Over Internet, one needs Internet? Where I'm going, there's nothing. Nada. Plus I don't have the documents with me.

Coupon-mad

Your wife can't attend a hearing for you unless the Judge (very exceptionally) grants her a right of audience on the day, so she may be allowed to prove that you are in NZ and that the court ignored/lost your DQ N180 and subsequent follow up email.  She'll need to take proof of all of that (including a copy of the missing n180) and hope for a fair Judge who will at least let her say this much at the prelim hearing.

Is it a hearing?  Not just Mediation?

fineclaret

Coupon-mad said:

Your wife can't attend a hearing for you unless the Judge (very exceptionally) grants her a right of audience on the day, so she may be allowed to prove that you are in NZ and that the court ignored/lost your DQ N180 and subsequent follow up email.  She'll need to take proof of all of that (including a copy of the missing n180) and hope for a fair Judge who will at least let her say this much at the prelim hearing.

Is it a hearing?  Not just Mediation?

Yes, a hearing - albeit by phone. We've had Mediation (also ignored N180: originally scheduled for when I was in the air over the Pacific!). They told her by phone that I could delegate her, by email to the court's 'enquiries' address. 

Another problem: physical copy of the witness statement. 5 days to the next town, assuming PO is open, before I can get it in with the rest of NZ's Christmas post! Deadline Dec 27.

Phone signal is very patchy. I'm actually stood (in the rain!) next to a marker indicating coverage, it's that rare!

Grizebeck

If it's a preliminary hearing a non attendance may not prove fatal to your case.

Gr1pr

You could email your WS to the lawyers and to the hearing court, no need for a physical copy 

fineclaret

Gr1pr said:

You could email your WS to the lawyers and to the hearing court, no need for a physical copy 

The court document says it wants the signed original. I'm going to digitally sign, then my wife will print and sign per pro, and deliver to the court. I'll add a preliminary statement to the effect that, since the Court has ignored my N180, I trust this will prove acceptable to the Court.

Pretty ridiculous. I arranged this trip before they ever got their claws in me. I should not have to put it on hold on the off-chance proceedings would gather pace. 

Coupon-mad

then my wife will print and sign per pro

Nonono. Leave it as your signature. Not pp.

fineclaret

I complained to the Court. The Judge responded as follows: " I considered the Directions Questionnaires and the overriding objective and did not consider it appropriate to delay the progress of this claim for the time suggested, particularly given that the Dispute Resolution Hearing would be by phone.

The decision was a judicial decision and therefore if any party seeks to challenge it then the appropriate application or appeal would need to be lodged.

The court does not deal with litigation by correspondence and the Court office/staff cannot provide advice or comment on judicial orders or consider any complaint about a Judicial decision".

Moral being: never arrange anything long-term, just in case you subsequently fall prey to litigation.

Coupon-mad

Terrible.