s 158 Committee to hear and determine applications for family exclusion orders and visit limits
158.—(1) A Committee must hear and determine in accordance with this Part all applications for family exclusion orders or visit limits referred to the Committee under section 159(2) or 163A(2), as the case may be.[36/2012] (2) Sittings of a Committee must be held at such places and times as the chairperson of the Committee may determine. (3) No party to any proceedings before a Committee may be represented by an advocate and solicitor except that the person making the application on behalf of an applicant under section 160 or 161 may represent the applicant before a Committee although that person may be an advocate and solicitor. (4) A Committee has the power to —(a) summon any person whom it may consider able to give evidence to attend at the hearing of an application, and examine such person as a witness; (b) require any person to furnish such information or produce such document, record or article in the possession or under control of that person as the Committee considers relevant for the purposes of the proceedings; and (c) inspect, keep or make copies of such record, document or article.[36/2012] (5) Every person examined as a witness by or before a Committee or required to furnish any information or produce any document, record or article by a Committee is, despite any written law or rule of law relating to the confidentiality of medical information or any rule of practice relating to client confidentiality, legally bound to state the truth and to produce such records, documents or articles as the Committee may require for the purposes of carrying out its functions and duties under this Part.[36/2012] (6) In proceedings under this Part, a Committee is to decide questions of fact on a balance of probabilities. (7) A Committee is not bound by the strict rules of evidence and may determine the conduct of its proceedings. (8) At any meeting of a Committee under this Part —(a) all 3 members of the Committee must be personally present to constitute a quorum; and (b) any question arising at the meeting of the Committee is to be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and, in the case of an equality of votes, the chairperson of the Committee has a casting vote.