Hot tubbing Technique.

‘Hot-tubbing’  is  a  technique  in  which  expert  witnesses  give  evidence  simultaneously  in each  other’s  presence  and  in  front  of  the  Judge,  who  puts  the  same  question  to  each expert  witnesses.  It  is  a  co-operative  endeavour  to  identify  key  issues  of  a  dispute  and where  possible  evolve  a  common  resolution  for  all  of  them.  However,  where resolution  of  issues  is  not  possible,  a  structured  discussion,  allows  the  experts  to  give their  opinions  without  the  constraints  of  the  adversarial  process  and  in  a  setting  which enables  them  to  respond  directly  to  each  other.  The  Judge  is  thereby  not  confined  to the  opinion  of  only  one  expert  but  has  the  benefit  of  multiple  experts  who  are rigorously  examined  in  public.  
When  parties  to  a  commercial  suit  wish  to  rely  on  the  hot  tubbing  method  to  record the  deposition  of  expert  witnesses,  then  the  Court  may  adopt  the  following procedure:
a) Prior  to  a  hearing  taking  place,  the  expert  witnesses  take  parting  a  meeting,  at  a mutually  convenient  place,  where  they  prepare  a  Joint  Statement  which  shall  be filed  before  Court.
b) The  Joint  Statement  shall  consist  of  the  agreed  statement  of  facts  and  disputed issues. 
c) Thereafter,  suggested  questions  to  be  put  to  the  expert  witnesses,  shall  be  filed by  the  parties.
d) A hearing  is  then  conducted  on  the  disputed  issues.
e) Counsels  may  put  questions  to  the  expert  witnesses,  as  may  be  permitted  by  the Court.
f) At the end of the proceeding, the Court would draw up the issues on which the expert witnesses agree and the issues on which they disagree.
g) On the issues on which the expert witnesses disagree, the Court shall record their statement.

Confidentiality Club

When parties to a commercial suit wish to rely on documents/information that are commercially or otherwise confidential in nature, the Court may constitute a Confidential Club so to allow limited access to such documents/information. In doing so, the Court may setup a structure/protocol, for the establishment and functioning of such Club, as it may seem appropriate.

Commencement of Trial

Commencement of Trial.:- The expression 'commencement of trial' used in Order VI Rule 27 of Code would mean the stage of tendering of evidence of first witness in the proceeding before the Court/Register/Commissioner.