The announcement from the Recorder of Belfast, Judge David McFarland, comes less than a week after the first divorces were granted in remote hearings south of the border.

The pilot will initially only apply to cases in the Belfast division which are already in the system awaiting a hearing date, but will be rolled out to other divisions and extended to new cases if successful.

Courts staff at Laganside will begin listing cases for remote hearings from 26 May 2020 until 2 June 2020, with notification to issue in the next week to solicitors and any litigants in person.

Judge McFarland has provided guidance notes for the hearing of these cases.