JULY - SEPTEMBER 2021

August 24, 2021
FACE MASKS REQUIRED IN COURTHOUSES

Effective August 25, 2021, further to an order of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), people attending courthouses in British Columbia are required to wear a face mask, including in entrances, lobbies, waiting areas, registries, hallways, stairways, restrooms and elevators. Please see the PHO order for exemptions.

A face mask must be worn in a manner that covers your nose and mouth. If you do not have a face mask, Sheriffs will provide one when you enter the courthouse. 

In addition, people are required to wear a face mask in courtrooms unless the presiding judge, justice, master or registrar directs otherwise.

The Notice Regarding Modified Court of Appeal Procedures and Access to Court Proceedings during the COVID-19 Pandemic has been updated to reflect this change.  

August 20, 2021
UPDATES: ATTENDING APPEAL HEARINGS & NEW FILING REQUIREMENT

The Notice Regarding Court of Appeal Procedures and Access to Court Proceedings has been updated as follows:

• To maintain physical distancing, the courtrooms where appeal proceedings or reviews take place can accommodate a maximum of six (6) counsel or self-represented parties at the counsel tables, and the courtrooms where chambers proceedings take place can accommodate a maximum of four (4) counsel or self-represented parties at the counsel tables. If more counsel or self-represented parties will appear, the parties are directed to decide who will appear via video conference and inform the Court of their choice by submitting the Request to Appear Remotely on the applicable timelines.

• For appeal hearings where one or more parties appear by video conference, a video link will be posted to the Court’s weekly hearing list. This means that members of the public will have the option of observing some appeal hearings remotely by clicking on the video link provided.  For any hearing, whether in person or a combination of in-person or videoconference, the public may also attend in-person, recognizing there are still limited physically-distanced spaces in the gallery.                      

The Notice Regarding Modified Filing Directions for Civil and Criminal Appeals has been updated as follows:

• Beginning with appeals scheduled to be heard on 1 November 2021, the Court will require parties to provide the Court with (3) paper copies of any appeal record, factum(s), or statement(s) previously e-filed six (6) weeks before the hearing of their appeal.

  August 6, 2021
  COURT OF APPEAL CLOSURE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

  The Court of Appeal will be closed on September 30, 2021 in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Court of Appeal registry will contact those with court appearances scheduled for September 30.