Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie announced the court is introducing mandatory pre-trial conferences for most adult and youth criminal trials and preliminary inquiries.
Family and small claims trials will also have to go through the pre-trial conference process and will be resumed by telephone or video conference.
According to Gillespie, telephone sentencing hearings will be available for some out-of-custody matters and cases that are not urgent.
Although these are the first steps taken to reopen the Provincial Courts, the public is urged not to attend a courthouse in person.
“Accordingly, in light of the extraordinary circumstances during the current public health emergency, people are strongly discouraged from attending any courthouse, and all proceedings will be held by audioconference or videoconference unless otherwise directed,” said the Court.
Rebecca Lawrence
