The Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal (Constitution and Rules of Procedure) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Early case management

24.  As soon as possible after the acceptance of the response or the application of rule 19(1), whichever is the earlier, an employment judge shall review the documents held by the tribunal that are relevant to the claim and shall do one or more of the following:

(a) decide whether a determination can properly be made of the claim, or part of it;

(b) provide a preliminary assessment of the issues to be determined;

(c) explore alternative means of resolving the issues in dispute, including the use of conciliation;

(d) issue any case management order appropriate to furthering the overriding objective including, but not limited to, any order dealing with—

(i) the identification of the issues to be determined;

(ii) the identification of any preliminary issues and consideration of whether they should be dealt with at a preliminary hearing under rule 47 or a final hearing under rule 51;

(iii) the disclosure, exchange and inspection of documents;

(iv) the provision of additional documents and information;

(v) the numbers of witnesses;

(vi) the sequential or simultaneous exchange of witness statements;

(vii) the preparation of documents or hearing;

(viii) limiting the content, length or format of any document or bundle of documents, including a witness statement;

(ix) the timetabling of any orders made; and

(x) the listing of the case for hearing.