What is a pre-hearing conference?
A pre-hearing conference is a proceeding where the parties have initial discussions about the case before a Presiding Officer (a member of the Discipline Committee or Fitness to Practise Committee or Rosters). All pre-hearings are closed to the public. Pre-hearings are without prejudice (the discussions are kept confidential between the parties and cannot be used against a party during the hearing). The parties can have discussions about things such as whether the facts and issues can be narrowed, whether disclosure is required, and how long the hearing will take. The Presiding Officer will give their opinion about the case to both parties and will send them a Presiding Officer’s Report summarizing what was discussed. Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure sets out the requirements for pre-hearing conferences, including that both parties must consent to participate in a pre-hearing conference (Rule 6.01(2)). A member’s pre-hearing conference memorandum must be filed using Form 6A at least 10 days before the scheduled pre-hearing date.
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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