The Supreme Court of B.C. is shutting all of its courthouse doors to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia has ordered the suspension of all regular operations until further notice.
“It is a constitutional imperative that the courts must remain open; however, in light of the extraordinary circumstances during the current public health emergency, members of the public who do not have urgent business before the court are discouraged from attending any courthouse,” the B.C. Supreme Court said in a statement on their website.
This announcement comes one day after yesterdays’s decision to close the courthouses in Chilliwack, Nanaimo, and Campbell River as a court participant who visited these courthouses was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
The Court says there will be adjustments to accommodate hearings of urgent matters, and further details concerning urgent and emergency matters and the running of timelines will be announced shortly.
Any hearing scheduled for today will proceed, but starting tomorrow, court is adjourned.
Rebecca Lawrence
