Who attends a hearing and what are their roles?
Many different people attend the hearing, including:
- The Panel: Three members of the Discipline Committee or Fitness to Practise Committee who will hear and decide the matter.
- The Parties: The member and the Ontario College of Teachers. The College is always represented by legal counsel. The member can be represented by counsel or can represent themselves.
- Independent Legal Counsel: The lawyer appointed to provide legal advice and guidance to the Discipline Committee or Fitness to Practise Committee. Independent Legal Counsel cannot provide legal advice to the College, members, or to witnesses in a proceeding. They are neutral and have no interest in the outcome of the hearing.
- Tribunals’ Staff: Staff from the Tribunals’ Office who provide administrative and technological support to the panel and the parties involved in the hearing.
- Court Reporter: An independent, third-party person who prepares the official transcript or written record of everything that is said during the hearing.
- Witness(es): Individuals who provide evidence under oath, either orally or in writing, to help prove or disprove the allegations against a member.
- Public observers: Members of the public or media representatives who may be present to observe the hearing. All public observers must complete an Attendance Request Form in advance of the hearing.
Other Resources
- Members might find the following resources useful when preparing for their hearing:
- Rules of Procedure of the Discipline Committee and Fitness to Practise Committee
- Ontario College of Teachers Act
- Practice Direction for Electronic Proceedings
- CanLII for similar cases [use search term ONOCT]
- National Self-Represented Litigants Project: The CanLII Primer | CanLII)
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