The court said certain general precautions will apply to all in-person court hearings, appearances and trials. Judges, masters and registrars have the discretion to direct more detailed precautions depending on the circumstances of a particular court hearing. These measures are subject to change without notice as the court receives further guidance and direction from public health authorities.
The provincial government has retained the services of a private consultant to assist in identifying the necessary steps to modify courtrooms and courthouses to mitigate the risk of transmission of the virus. The Ministry of the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Court Recovery Operations page can be accessed here.
The court has also resumed hearing chambers applications of two hours or less in civil and family matters. Hearings will proceed by telephone unless the court otherwise orders. The chief justice has modified certain requirements related to application records and service of application record indexes. To see his order, click here.