Please find attached, a copy of this week’s COVID-19 Update.  It can also be found here.  

Katie W. Robinette, Executive Director, FOLA.ca

Need answers to COVID-19 issues regarding the practice of law?  CLICK HERE.

Kristin Muszynski, on behalf of FOLA, has been working on the e-Task force with the  Advocates’ Society, the Ontario Bar Association, and the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association to review technologies that can help ensure Ontario’s justice system continue to function during and following the coronavirus pandemic.  One of the issues they looked at were e-Hearings.  

Today, they released some helpful documents on best practices to help provide guidance to anyone who is considering preparing for and participating in a remote hearing. Those documents are available on our website here and are also attached. 

Katie W. Robinette

Executive Director

FOLA.ca

Need answers to COVID-19 issues regarding the practice of law?  CLICK HERE.

This is my Newmarket OCJ update for May 9, 2020.

OCJ To Expand Hearing Of Criminal Matters 

The Ontario Court of Justice announced on May 4, 2020 that it will not be returning to full operations on May 29, 2020 and in addition, that no trials or preliminary inquiries would be conducted until at least July 6, 2020 at the earliest.

The Ontario Court of Justice has now announced a "limited expansion" effective this Monday May 11, 2020 of the hearing of out of custody criminal matters.  The goal is to accommodate resolutions of for out of custody matters where the Regional Senior Judge is satisfied that the necessary courthouse resources are in place.

The OCJ is also making judicial pre-trials mandatory for all criminal proceedings, including YCJA matters, i) that were scheduled for  trial or preliminary hearing  between March 16, 2020 and July 3, 2020 that was, or will be, adjourned due to the pandemic; and ii) that are scheduled for a trial or preliminary inquiry between July 6, 2020 and October 30, 2020.

It is anticipated that the Court will be posting the updated COVID-19 Notice to Counsel and the Public shortly consolidating  previous directives and providing important updates to the Court’s criminal operations.

Accompanying the updated Notice are two related protocols, one concerning the conduct of bail hearings, and the other for consent variations to bails and undertakings.

I have forwarded the Notice that I have received  to Betty and Janet in order that it can be posted to the YRLA website. It can be found on the website under Court Info/Forms > Criminal. I will send any further updates as they become available. 

Sincerely,

Norman Panzica, York Director, Criminal Lawyers Association

The attached notice, issued by Chief Justice Maisonneuve, updates the Directive on the Scheduling of Family Matters in the Ontario Court of Justice that was issued on March 28, 2020, and is in addition to the general notice issued by the Ontario Court of Justice on May 4, 2020. 

Please share with your Family Law members.

Katie W. Robinette

Executive Director

FOLA.ca

Need answers to COVID-19 issues regarding the practice of law?  CLICK HERE.

Adjourning Child Protection Matters

Further Adjourning Criminal Matters

Notice to the Profession, Litigants, Accused Persons and the Media Regarding the Continued Suspension of in-court matters to July 6, 2020

From the Ministry of the Attorney General, Court Services Division:

Notice to the Public and Legal Profession Ontario Small Claims Court Counter Service Suspension

The Ontario Court of Justice will not be returning to full operations on May 29, 2020.  No trials or preliminary inquiries will be conducted until July 6, 2020 at the earliest, unless a judge seized with a continuing matter orders otherwise. This applies to criminal, family and Provincial Offences Act matters. The Court will soon provide a detailed notice to the profession and to the public about all proceedings in the Ontario of Justice.  The Court is also working closely with its justice partners, including the Ministry of the Attorney General, to adopt technology that will increase participants’ ability to access the Court’s services using remote means, such as by the electronic filing of court material, remote scheduling processes, and remote hearings. OCJ updates can be found here: OCJ COVIC-19

Over 10 hours of free CPD programs on legal practice and the courts during COVID-19 have been added to the Members Only page. If you forgot your password or have never had one, simply provide your usual email and follow the instructions to reset or create a password.