151Procedure at meetings of Tribunal to be informal

#### 151 Procedure at meetings of Tribunal to be informal 151 Procedure at meetings of Tribunal to be informal (cf 1990 Act, s 267) > > (1) Meetings of the Tribunal are to be conducted with as little formality and technicality, and with as much expedition, as the requirements of this Act, the [Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2020-012), the regulations and as the proper consideration of the matters before the Tribunal permit. > > > (2) In determining any matter relating to a forensic patient, correctional patient or other patient or a person detained in a mental health facility, or any matter relating to a community treatment order, the Tribunal is not bound by the rules of evidence but may inform itself of any matter in such manner as it thinks appropriate and as the proper consideration of the matter before the Tribunal permits. > > > (3) The proceedings of the Tribunal are to be open to the public. > > > (4) However, if the Tribunal is satisfied that it is desirable to do so for the welfare of a person who has a matter before the Tribunal or for any other reason, it may (of its own motion or on the application of the person or another person appearing at the proceedings) make any one or more of the following orders— > > > > > (a) an order that the hearing be conducted wholly or partly in private, > > > > > (b) an order prohibiting or restricting the publication or broadcasting of any report of proceedings before the Tribunal, > > > > > (c) an order prohibiting or restricting the publication of evidence given before the Tribunal, whether in public or in private, or of matters contained in documents lodged with the Tribunal or received in evidence before the Tribunal, > > > > > (d) an order prohibiting or restricting the disclosure to some or all of the parties to the proceedings of evidence given before the Tribunal, or of the contents of a document lodged with the Tribunal or received in evidence by the Tribunal, in relation to the proceedings. > > > > Note. > > > > Section 162 prohibits the publication or broadcasting of the name of a person involved in Tribunal proceedings or other material that may identify any such person, except with the consent of the Tribunal. > > > (5) The President or a Deputy President or the chairperson of a meeting of the Tribunal may administer an oath to any person giving evidence before the Tribunal. > > > (6) The President or a Deputy President of the Tribunal has, in the exercise of his or her functions as a member, the same protections and immunity as a Judge of the Supreme Court has in the performance of his or her duties as a Judge. > > **s 151:** Am 2008 No 79, Sch 2 \[32\] \[33\]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.18 \[1\]; 2020 No 12, Sch 3.17\[11\].