The 13 parties charged over the Whakaari/ White island eruption will be in court for the first time today

They were due to appear late last year but requested an adjournment to review WorkSafe's evidence and receive legal advice.

GNS Science and the National Emergency Management Agency have confirmed they're among the parties facing charges.

Canterbury University seismologist, David Dempsey, says it's a little worrying when you see a science organisation being prosecuted around uncertain issues like volcanic warnings.

He says it would be a poor outcome if scientists felt they couldn't give their expert judgement without putting themselves at some kind of legal risk.