{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/tribunal-procedure-first-tier-tribunal-war-pensions-and-armed-forces-compensation-chamber-rules-2008/article-28",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/tribunal-procedure-first-tier-tribunal-war-pensions-and-armed-forces-compensation-chamber-rules-2008/article-28.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2008/2686",
  "legislation_title": "The Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber) Rules 2008",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/tribunal-procedure-first-tier-tribunal-war-pensions-and-armed-forces-compensation-chamber-rules-2008",
  "path": "article/28",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "28",
  "heading": "Public and private hearings",
  "text": "(1) Subject to the following paragraphs, all hearings must be held in public.\n(2) The Tribunal may give a direction that a hearing, or part of it, is to be held in private.\n(2A) Without prejudice to paragraph (2), the Tribunal may direct that a hearing, or part of it, is to be held in private if—\n(a) the Tribunal directs that the proceedings are to be conducted wholly or partly as video proceedings or audio proceedings;\n(b) it is not reasonably practicable for such a hearing, or such part, to be accessed in a court or tribunal venue by persons who are not parties entitled to participate in the hearing;\n(c) a media representative is not able to access the proceedings remotely while they are taking place; and\n(d) such a direction is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice.\n(3) Where a hearing, or part of it, is to be held in private, the Tribunal may determine who is permitted to attend the hearing or part of it.\n(4) The Tribunal may give a direction excluding from any hearing, or part of it—\n(a) any person whose conduct the Tribunal considers is disrupting or is likely to disrupt the hearing;\n(b) any person whose presence the Tribunal considers is likely to prevent another person from giving evidence or making submissions freely;\n(c) any person who the Tribunal considers should be excluded in order to give effect to a direction under rule 14(2) (withholding information likely to cause harm); or\n(d) any person where the purpose of the hearing would be defeated by the attendance of that person.\n(5) The Tribunal may give a direction excluding a witness from a hearing until that witness gives evidence.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Rule 28(2A) inserted (temp.) (10.4.2020) by virtue of The Tribunal Procedure (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Rules 2020 (S.I. 2020/416), rules 1(2), 3(3) (with rule 1(2))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2686/article/28",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T03:23:28.420299+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}