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.

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.

ORDER 1 RULE 3 OF CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE

“Order I Rule 3 CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE 

Who may be joined as defendants.-All persons may be joined in one suit as defendants where-

(a) any right to relief in respect of, or arising out of, the same act or transaction or series of acts or 

transactions is alleged to exist against such persons, whether jointly, severally or in the alternative;

and

(b) if separate suits were brought against such persons, any common question of law or fact would arise.

Order II Rule 3 CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE 

Joinder of causes of action.-(1) Save as otherwise provided, a plaintiff may unite in the same suit 

several causes of action against the same defendant, or the same defendants jointly; and any plaintiffs

 having causes of action in which they are jointly interested against the same defendant or the same 

defendants jointly may unite such causes of action in the same suit.

(2) Where causes of action are united, the jurisdiction of the Courts as regards the suit shall depend 

on the amount or value of the aggregate subject matters at the date of instituting the suit.”

Civil Procedure Code 1908