I can only tell you about a further leave to remain from a visitors visa due to marriage hearing but it was still held in an immigration court.
In our hearing we were given time to talk to our barrister before.
Our hearing was in a medium sized room with the judge higher up at the front at a long desk with the home office representative sat on tables to the right, us facing directly opposite and our barrister sat on tables to the left.We were made to feel more relaxed by the judge and she was very friendly, however it was really serious obviously.
An interpreter is provided by the court for the language your partner speaks. Our barrister said we didn’t need ours, as my husbands english is excellent however i asked for him to stay as dependent on how technical the language may get i wanted to make sure he understood everything.The judge in her summing up even mentioned the fact he didn’t need the interpreter, but this is all good as its recorded how good my husbands english is and his commitment to integrating here.
Fist they chat to us all, and ask who is present for the record, my family attending showed his support.
Then they interviewed my husband first with us out of the room, then me with my husband in the room, then my father as he was a witness to my husband joining his business should he get leave to remain.
The home office and judge ask questions, the judge asks things directly to you and makes lots of notes, while the barrister gives legal argument as to where the evidence is supported by a law or similar case. Previous to the hearing you and your partner will make statements and the case works around these.I would assume that if he cannot attend his statement will be looked at rather than speak to him.Our solicitor helped us with our statements so maybe your partner should see an immigration solicitor to ensure he does the best statement he can.
Documents as evidence are scrutinised as apparently lots can be fake.One of our docs from the government had a date mistake, luckily it was dated really obviously wrong, but this was very heavily discussed.
You dont find out on the day as the judge wants to go away and look at the evidence and consider it against the case law the barrister has quoted.Our refusal came very quickly about one week/10 days later.
We had everything in place, and a top barrister who had set many presidents in her cases, but got refused. The judge wrote fantastic things about us, and proved for future we had a family life etc, but finally said, there is no compassion in the law and refused us.
Good luck with your case and be as prepared as you can be.
