Further to my update on Monday November 2, 2020, I can advise that i was part of a meeting this week with Regional Senior Justice Rosenberg, acting  Local Administrative Justice Giourgas, Justice Kenkel, the Crown Attorney and the Trial Coordinator to discuss addressing the backlog of matters currently awaiting the setting of trial dates.

As a result of that meeting, Newmarket is implementing a blitz trial set date court commencing November 18, 2020 to address some of the backlog.  The Blitz Court will run between 2pm and 4pm on the applicable dates.

I have reproduced the applicable Notice below.

Sincerely,

Norman Panzica 

York Director,  Criminal Lawyers Association 

NOTICE TO THE PROFESSION 

November 5, 2020 

This Notice is to advise the profession that the Ontario Court of Justice, Newmarket, is implementing a Set Date Blitz Court beginning Wednesday November 18, 2020. The purpose of the Court is to deal with the backlog in set-date matters resulting from the pandemic. Appearances are by invitation only from the Trial Coordinator’s office. 

The Trial Coordinator’s office will be sending out bring forward notices via email to counsel for matters where counsel have filed trial date requests. The office will give priority to requests by date sent. They will also try to group matters for one office together where possible. 

Please do not email the Trial Coordinator to request priority or to have your matters grouped to one time. Matters will be dealt with solely on the basis of trial date request forms by date filed. This Court is for out-of-custody matters only. In-custody matters continue to be prioritized and will be set in the normal course.  The Court will be held by Zoom so that counsel can appear by either video or audio. 

The Court will sit on Wednesday November 18th, Thursday November 19th, Wednesday November 25th and Thursday November 26th from 2 pm to 4 pm each day. Initially we are targeting setting 20 matters each day. Adjustments to volume and further Blitz Court dates will be made/set as required.  The matters in Blitz court must be ready to be set. There will be no time for case management. 

The Crown will attend the Blitz Court with leave dates. The Crown will get the docket list ahead of time to secure these leave dates. Any issues after the date is set will be dealt with by the JPT judge. Any change to a trial date or request to change a trial date must be done before a judge on the record. If issues such as these must be addressed, please put the pertinent details into the subject line of the email to the Trial Coordinator’s office including that it involves a “Blitz Court” matter.  Thank you for your cooperation. 

Justice Victor Giourgas 

Acting Local Administrative Justice