In light of concerns regarding the impact, including financial, of the current and projected future use of remote hearings in the family court, on magistrates, the Family Court Committee (FCC) has agreed to gather information from MA members who sit in Family Court. 

Part of the background to this is the failure to secure any recognition of additional costs incurred by family magistrates to sit remotely, concern that this is forcing magistrates with more limited personal financial means to leave the magistracy, and any consequent impact on diversity.

The first 9 questions are about your individual experiences.

We would be grateful if you could complete the remaining questions as far as possible, so that we may gauge the extent of the issue, its current impact, and the need for wider information gathering. We are aware that not all respondents will have the necessary information - if you do not have the information available, please skip to the next question. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey. 

Definitions:

'Digital competence': Being unable, or lacking in confidence, to use video conferencing

'Digital poverty': This includes not having a suitable device with which to participate in remote hearings, and not being able to afford to acquire one; not having adequate broadband/Wifi and not being able to afford to upgrade it; needing to heat/light an additional space in home (that would not otherwise be in use) and not being able to afford to do this.

'Unable to work from home (technical):' This includes not having reliable broadband eg in a rural area (ie not a financial issue); other family members already using up the available broadband to work from home

'Unable to work from home (environment)': includes not having a suitable space in which to do so; not being able to ensure privacy because of presence of other family members.

'Additional utility costs': This means over and above what you would have spent if not sitting remotely on that day (e.g. if you would still have been at home and incurred utility costs that is not additional cost, but if you have had to use a room at home that would have been left unheated but for the need to use it to sit remotely, please include that here.

If you have any questions about this survey, please send these to: zillah.holford@magistrates-association.org.uk

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* 1. Have you been sitting in the last 12 months?

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* 2. If "no" what is the primary reason?

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* 3. Have you incurred additional costs in order to sit remotely in the last 12 months?

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* 4. If yes, please select all that apply

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* 5. Do you have a relevant disability that has required additional expense (e.g. needing printed documents, needing larger screen)?

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* 6. All levels of the judiciary are clear that not all hearings are suitable/desirable to be held remotely, and will need to revert to in person hearings when the pandemic allows.  However, there is a likelihood that remote hearings will continue for some types of hearing, eg case management.

Regardless of your views in principle about this, if remote hearings continue post pandemic, and it is not possible to elect not to sit remotely or it would be difficult to maintain sitting levels or competence without sitting, what would be your personal position?

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* 7. If you indicated that you would resign, what would be your primary reason?

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* 8. Have you had to do additional work between hearings (e.g. to finalise reasons or case management orders)?

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* 9. If you answered 'yes' to the above question, have you been credited with an additional sitting for the time spent?

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* 10. Please answer the following questions as fully as you can.

If you do not have the information with which to answer, please skip to the next question.

Which family panel are you a member of?

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* 11. How many family panel members are there in this panel?

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* 12. How many Presiding Justices are there in this family panel?

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* 13. How many Appraisers are there in this family panel?

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* 14. How many Mentors are there in this family panel?

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* 15. How many family panel members in this family panel are not currently sitting?

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* 16. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are Presiding Justices?

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* 17. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are Wingers?

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* 18. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are Appraisers?

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* 19. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are Mentors?

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* 20. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are due to leaves of absence for health reasons?

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* 21. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are due to leaves of absence for digital competence reasons?

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* 22. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are due to leaves of absence because of being unable to work from home due to inadequate broadband?

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* 23. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are due to leaves of absence because of being unable to work from home due to not having a suitable workspace/appropriate level of privacy?

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* 24. Of family panel members not currently sitting in this family panel, how many are due to leaves of absence for other reasons not specified above?

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* 25. How many resignations from your family panel have there been in the last 12 months?

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* 26. Of those who have retired from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been Presiding Justices?

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* 27. Of those who have retired from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been Wingers?

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* 28. Of those who have retired from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been Appraisers?

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* 29. Of those who have retired from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been Mentors?

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* 30. How many family panel members have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months?

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* 31. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been for health reasons?

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* 32. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been for digital competence reasons?

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* 33. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been because of digital poverty?

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* 34. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been because of being unable to work from home due to inadequate broadband?

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* 35. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been because of being unable to work from home due to having no suitable workspace/appropriate level of privacy?

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* 36. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many have been for other reasons, not specified above?

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* 37. Of those who have resigned from your family panel in the last 12 months, how many were due to retire within 12 months?

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