2.4 How to prepare for the hearing

Last Reviewed: June 2023 Reviewed by: Court of Appeal Staff

Get organized

With very rare exceptions, Court of Appeal hearings are open to the public. Some can also be watched live using the public video links included in the Weekly hearing lists (mentioned below). It is a good idea to watch an appeal hearing before your own; it will give you a better understanding of court procedure, and how you should best conduct your response to the appeal. The Court of Appeal website publishes Weekly hearing lists for appeals and chambers applications.

The most important thing to remember about getting ready for a court hearing is that you need to be organized. It is a good idea to make notes about how you want to present the details about your position, including, for example,

    - The law that you are relying on

    - The transcript paragraphs you will be referring to, and so on

You may also want to talk with a lawyer about how to present and argue your position at the hearing.

Get Help

The Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia operates a program that allows every self-represented litigant in the Court of Appeal the opportunity to meet with a lawyer at no cost to discuss their appeal

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