Positive Covid 19 Test
Attached is a memo indicating that a courthouse staffer recently tested positive for the virus. Indications are that exposure came by way of community spread and unrelated to the Courthouse.
There are currently no additional COVID-19 concerns with courthouse operations and attendance based on this one positive test.
Remote Case Management Court
Remote Case Management Court is currently scheduled to begin in the Newmarket Courthouse on Monday September 22, 2020 by way of Zoom. Other courts have already commenced the remote process of addressing matters, including Oshawa.
Current experience reveals that the remote court has been operating slowly compared to the prior in person model. For speed of operation it would be of assistance for counsel with multiple matters to notify the crown of their matters by sending a list or through a form of virtual sign up sheet.
Counsel To Attend By Zoom Video
Counsel are encouraged to defend by way of video and by use of the Zoom link, as they will be identified quicker. When using audio, all that is displayed is the last few digits of the phone number. With Zoom the participants name is displayed, assisting all in the virtual courtroom.
Counsel are also encouraged to use the enhanced designation which is found online. A sample is attached here.
The Zoom link will remain constant and will be posted on the OCJ website. Notices will be posted on the OCJ website and door and accused notices will be distributed.
Order Of Counsel/Virtual Sign Up
A significant issue to address is a manner of establishing a process to determine the order that counsel matters are called. Normally, and in the past subject to the view of the Assistant Crown Attorney calling the list, the tradition has been either to proceed based on a “first come first served” basis, or alternatively, to call matters in order based on counsel's year of call.
The Criminal Lawyers Association is developing and suggesting the use of an on-line virtual sign up sheet, accessible on-line. The format is being reviewed by the tech people at MAG to confirm there are no obvious tech or security concerns.
No Tiered Court List
Recent experience has shown that the use of a tiered system was inefficient. Hence, unlike prior to the Pandemic, there will not be a tiered list in case management court. The crown will call the list as usual but counsel will take priority over unrepresented accused.
The Court Clerk will be hosting the court and will be allowing parties into the virtual courtroom. The crown attorney office Crown will not co-host.
Provision will be made for the use of break out rooms that are within the Zoom courtroom. Notices will be provided to the accused at the courthouse (if they attend) with information on how to contact Legal Aid. The courtroom is a remote courtroom and the accused must attend through the Zoom options – video or audio.
Additional meetings are anticipated prior to the launch of the Remote Case Management Court on September 22, 2020.
See next Blog entry for Courtroom call-in Information for this week.
Sincerely, Norman Panzica, York Director, Criminal Lawyers Association
Courtroom Call In Information
416-212-8012 866-633-0848
100 Intake/Other matters #4942812
103 Bail #4674204
104 Bail #6532049
200 Remand/Plea #5467574
201 Remand/Plea #9851321
Trial Readiness Court at #5700492
Contact Information
Duty Counsel - ozkins@lao.on.ca
Crown Assignments Week of September 8, 2020
Tuesday September 8
202P – Rob De Chellis
Robert.DeChellis@ontario.ca
200 Court (judge) – Jina
Jina.Lee@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Michael D.
Michael.Demczur@ontario.ca
103 Bails - Tony
Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Neil
Anil.Singh2@ontario.ca
302 New Arrests - Martin
Martin.Dionne@ontario.ca
Bail Vettors –
Elissa Elissa.Kulpers@ontario.ca
Sham Shambavi.Kumaresan@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Lucas
Lucas.O'Neill@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Leeanne, Nicole, Jacob
*Peter and Thompson homicide prelim all week
*Jenna HT trial all week
Wednesday September 9
200 Court (judge) – Erin
Erin.Rizok2@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Brian
Brian.McCallion@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Tony
104 Bails – Samantha
Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
302 New Arrests - Philip
Philip.Hsiung@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Lesley
Lesley.Pasquino@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Jacob, Nicole, Michael V.
Thursday September 10
202P – Brian
103 Bails – Kevin
Kevin.Stewart@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Tony
302 New Arrests - Samantha
Trial courts – Michelle, Nicole, Caitlin, Greg, Michael V., Jacob
Friday September 11
202P - Brian
201 Court (judge) – Tony
103 Bails – Martin
104 Bails – Amy
Trial courts – Michelle, Nicole, Caitlin, Greg, Michael V.
The OCJ has issued a Notice announcing virtual criminal case management courts will be starting in the following additional locations beginning on September 8, 2020:
· Central East: Barrie, Peterborough, Lindsay
· Central West: Brantford, Milton, St. Catharines, Welland
· East: Brockville, Cornwall, Perth
· Northeast: North Bay, Parry Sound, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury
· Toronto: 1000 Finch, 2201 Finch
· West: Chatham, Sarnia, London
Please see the full Notice here: Update – Additional Court Locations Commencing Virtual Criminal Case Management Appearances on September 8, 2020
Also, the OCJ has issued a revised Scheduling Notice that includes updates regarding the expansion of Family matters. As of September 14, additional listed court locations are expected to resume in-person family matters as permitted by the Scheduling Directive. As of September 28, 2020, OCJ will begin to resume hearing Applications, Motions to Change, and Family Responsibility Office matters.
Please see attached revised Family Scheduling Notice for details.
In addition to other updates covered in the revised Family Scheduling Notice, beginning September 28, 2020 and until further notice, all First Appearance Court/First Court Dates, as per rule 40(4) of the Family Law Rules before a clerk will be waived. Parties and counsel will be asked to file a new waiver form. Please see the attached revised Notice for additional important details, and find the supporting new Form, attached.
COVID-19: Scheduling of Family Matters in the Ontario Court of Justice (September 2, 2020)
First Appearance Court Waiver
Katie W. Robinette, Executive Director, FOLA.ca
Need answers to COVID-19 issues regarding the practice of law? CLICK HERE
Please find attached, the FOLA weekly update. You can also find it online here.
Please note that a moment ago, the SCJ issued a Supplementary Notice to the Profession and Litigants in Civil and Family Matters Including Electronic Filings and Document Sharing (Caselines Pilot) (September 2, 2020). We heard in our meeting it was coming so it is also mentioned (and linked) in our Update. But in case you want to jump right to it, here it is: https://www.ontariocourts.ca/scj/notices-and-orders-covid-19/supplementary-notice-september-2-2020/
Katie W. Robinette
Executive Director
FOLA.ca
Need answers to COVID-19 issues regarding the practice of law? CLICK HERE.
Information about the CaseLines Pilot was just released and is available from the Superior Court of Justice website here.
See the Notice to Profession and links to new forms under Court Info/Forms > Notices/Forms Family on this website.
Guidelines re: Remote Hearings in the Ontario Court of Justice - includes Zoom & JVN WebRTC user guides
The York Region Law Association would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Special Constable Ryan Stevenson #6089 who passed away on August 28th. He will be missed at the courthouse.
There are no operational updates as of today. Below are the courtroom and crown information for this week.
Crown Assignments Week of August 31, 2020
Monday August 31
202P – Nicole Nicole.Murphy@ontario.ca
200 Court (judge) – Neil (new arrests and 201 list) Anil.Singh2@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Erin Erin.Rizok2@ontario.ca
103 Bails - Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Brian Brian.McCallion@ontario.ca
Ivana - Ivana.Denisov@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Lucas Lucas.O'Neill@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Jeff, Jeanaha, Leeanne
**Amy – Monday triage court
Tuesday September 1
202P – Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
200 Court (judge) – Erin Erin.Rizok2@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Rob De Chellis Robert.DeChellis@ontario.ca
103 Bails - Neil (Jama bail hearing) Anil.Singh2@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Jina Jina.Lee@ontario.ca
Leeanne LeeAnne.McCallum@ontario.ca
Brad - Bradley.Juriansz@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Philip Philip.Hsiung@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Jeff, Ivana (Lamanna judgment and cover court), Michael V. (new arrests)
Wednesday September 2
200 Court (judge) – Michael V. Michael.Ventola@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Kevin Kevin.Stewart@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Tony (Sivaguranathan bail) Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Jacob Jacob.Wilson@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Jeff, Ivana (new arrests)
Thursday September 3
200 Court (judge) – Kevin Kevin.Stewart@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Tony Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Sham Shambavi.Kumaresan@ontario.ca
106 New Arrests - Brian Brian.McCallion@ontario.ca
Bail Vettors – Brad - Bradley.Juriansz@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Gemma Gemma.Sang@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Jeff, Nicole, Rob DC, Michael V. (David Allen firearms hearing)
Friday September 4
202P - Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
200 Court (judge) – Brian Brian.McCallion@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Neil Anil.Singh2@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Tony (Pryce hearing) Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Gemma Gemma.Sang@ontario.ca
Trial courts – Sham (new arrests), Rob DC, Nicole
Virtual Criminal Case Management/Automatic Adjournment
As of today Monday August 24, 2020, the Provincial Government is implementing the new video set-date process. Virtual criminal case management courts start today in Cayuga, Goderich, Guelph, Orangeville, L’Orignal, Pembroke, Saint Thomas, Simcoe, Stratford, Windsor, Woodstock. As of next Monday August 31, 2020 this process will commence in Oshawa, Thunder Bay, Timmins and Toronto East (Scarborough) Courthouses.
It is anticipated that this Virtual Case Management will be extended to other locations in September 2020. However at this time it is not known which Courthouses will be added and when. For the time being, in Courthouses that have not implemented this system, automatic adjournments will continue until the local set-date virtual court commences.
Crown Assignments Week of August 24, 2020
Monday August 24
202P – Rob De Chellis Robert.DeChellis@ontario.ca
200 Court (judge) – ErinErin.Rizok2@ontario.ca
103 Bails - Tony (look at Graham and Booth hearings)
Michelle - Michelle.Rumble@ontario.ca
Remote Duty Crown – Lori Lori.Thompson@ontario.ca
Trials – Phyllis, Ivana, Nicole
**Amy – Monday triage court Amy.Barkin@ontario.ca
Tuesday August 25
200 Court (judge) – Martin Martin.Dionne@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Michael V. Michael.Ventola@ontario.ca
103 Bails - Tony Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Sham Shambavi.Kumaresan@ontario.ca
204 New Arrests - Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
Kevin - Kevin.Stewart@ontario.ca
Michelle -Michelle.Rumble@ontario.ca
Trials – Ivana, Nicole, Jeff
Wednesday August 26
202P – NicoleNicole.Murphy@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Neil (Project and Ramdeensingh bails)
Anil.Singh2@ontario.ca 104 Bails – Brad Bradley.Juriansz@ontario.ca
204 New Arrests – Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
Trial Court (assist/seized) – Michael V. Michael.Ventola@ontario.ca
Trials – Jeff
Thursday August 27
200 Court (judge) – Jina Jina.Lee@ontario.ca
201 Court (judge) – Samantha Samantha.Peterson2@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Tony (Bennett hearing) Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Rob De Chellis Robert.DeChellis@ontario.ca
Martin - Martin.Dionne@ontario.ca
Trials – Brad, Jeff
Backup CDSA trial court – Michael V.
Friday August 28
202P - Nicole Nicole.Murphy@ontario.ca
103 Bails – Tony (Calicdan hearing) Tony.VandenEnde@ontario.ca
104 Bails – Michael V. Michael.Ventola@ontario.ca
203 New Arrests - Ivana Ivana.Denisov@ontario.ca
Trials – Brad Bradley.Juriansz@ontario.ca
Backup CDSA trial court – Rob De Chellis
The guidebook was updated on August 13, 2020 and can be found here.
York Region Law Association 50 Eagle St W, 3rd Floor Newmarket ON L3Y 6B1 905-895-2018 / 1-866-221-8864