How do I prepare for a Case Management Hearing?
The short answer
Preparing for a CMH generally comes down to working through the tribunal's own agenda form — what I call the AGENDA method: anchoring the issues, getting your directions ready, establishing the disclosure plan, nailing the timetable, documenting a draft order, and having an action plan for afterwards. A CMH is about how the case will run, not who wins, so preparation is about being organised and clear rather than arguing the merits.
What a CMH is for
A Case Management Hearing is a short preliminary hearing, usually held by telephone or video, at which an Employment Judge sets the timetable for the claim. The judge is not deciding the case. They are working out what the issues are and giving directions so that everyone knows what to do, and by when, before the final hearing.
Because the hearing is about organisation, good preparation is practical rather than argumentative. The clearer and more organised each side is, the shorter and more useful the hearing tends to be.
Before the hearing
1. Re-read the papers
Read the claim (the ET1) and the response (the ET3) again, together with any orders the tribunal has already sent. Note anything that is unclear or that the parties disagree about — those points often shape the directions.
2. Anchor the issues
The first AGENDA step, and the backbone of a CMH. In general terms this means drafting a list of issues — the legal questions the tribunal will have to answer and the key facts in dispute. Having a draft ready — even a rough one — helps the hearing enormously.
3. Nail the timetable you want
The fourth AGENDA step. Directions are the steps and dates: disclosure of documents, exchange of witness statements, preparing the hearing bundle, and the final hearing itself. It helps to come with a realistic view of how long each step needs and any dates to avoid, worked out backwards from the final hearing window.
On the day
Join on time and have your papers to hand. Hearings are usually remote, so test your connection beforehand and find a quiet space. Speak one at a time, keep to the issues, and make a note of every direction the judge gives so you have your own record of the timetable — the last AGENDA step, your action plan for afterwards.
Key takeaways
- A CMH sets the timetable — it does not decide who wins.
- A draft list of issues is the single most useful thing to bring — the first AGENDA step, Anchor the issues.
- Complete the tribunal's agenda form in advance where you can.
- Come with a realistic view of directions and any dates to avoid.
- Keep your own note of every direction the judge makes — your post-CMH action plan.
What's next in this stage
Where this sits in a claim