APRIL - JUNE 2012


June 13, 2012
Notice: Release of Judgment in Carter v. Canada (Attorney General) - June 15, 2012

The Reasons for Judgment of Madam Justice Lynn Smith in Carter v Canada (Attorney General) will be released and posted on the court's website on Friday, June 15, 2012 at 11:30 a.m.

There will be a lock-up for media representatives prior to the release of the Reasons for Judgment. Those media representatives who would like to attend the lock-up must pre-register and must sign an undertaking. Only media representatives who have pre-registered to attend will be admitted to the lock-up.

To register for the lock-up, please send an email to MediaLock-Up@courts.gov.bc.ca no later than 3:00 p.m. on June 14, 2012.

More details about the lock-up procedure are described below:

Media Representatives Lock-Up Procedure

Media Representatives Undertaking

 

June 1, 2012
Judicial Appointment - Mr. Justice Gordon C. Weatherill - May 31, 2012

The Supreme Court of British Columbia welcomes the appointment of the Honourable Mr. Justice Gordon C. Weatherill to Vancouver. For more information about the Honourable Mr. Justice Weatherill, please see the press release issued by the Minister of Justice. A public welcoming ceremony for Mr. Justice Weatherill will be held on a date to be scheduled. Information about the welcoming ceremony will be posted on the court's website.

 

June 1, 2012
Judicial Retirement - The Honourable Madam Justice Mary Ellen Boyd - May 31, 2012

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that the Honourable Madam Justice Boyd retired from the Supreme Court at Vancouver on May 31, 2012.

 

May 29, 2012
Extension of Grace Period for Acceptance of Repealed Forms

Chief Justice Bauman has issued a Direction to the Registry which extends a grace period during which Supreme Court registries will accept Supreme Court Civil Forms and Supreme Court Family Forms which were repealed by Order in Council 192. The grace period has been extended to July 31, 2012.

 

May 17, 2012
Practice Direction #35 - Sealing Orders in Civil & Family Proceedings - June 1, 2012

Chief Justice Bauman has issued PD-35 - Sealing Orders in Civil and Family Proceedings which sets out the procedure for applying for an order sealing all or part of the court file in a civil or family law case. PD-35 - Sealing Orders in Civil and Family Proceedings takes effect on June 1, 2012.

April 30, 2012
Supreme Court Master Appointment

The Supreme Court of British Columbia welcomes the appointment of Master Leslie J. Muir to Vancouver. Master Muir's appointment is effective May 7, 2012. For more information about Master Muir please see the press release issued by the Attorney General.

April 24, 2012
Direction to the Registry re Grace Period for Acceptance of Repealed Forms

Chief Justice Bauman has issued a Direction to the Registry which implements a grace period during which the registry will accept Supreme Court Civil and Family Forms which were repealed by Order in Council 192. The grace period will expire on May 30, 2012.

April 24, 2012
Family Practice Direction #8 - Divorce Applications - April 25, 2012

Chief Justice Bauman has issued FPD-8 - Divorce Applications pursuant to which masters have jurisdiction to conduct trial management conferences. FPD-8 is issued to coincide with the coming into force of amendments to the Supreme Court Rules which amend certain forms. With the issuance of this practice direction, FPD-3 - Divorce Applications is rescinded. FPD-8 - Divorce Applications takes effect on April 25, 2012.

April 17, 2012
Practice Direction #34 - Masters' Jurisdiction - April 25, 2012

Chief Justice Bauman has issued PD-34 - Masters' Jurisdiction pursuant to which masters have jurisdiction to conduct trial management conferences. PD 34 is issued to coincide with the coming into force of amendments to the Supreme Court Rules which provide that trial management conferences may be conducted by judges or masters. With the issuance of this practice direction, PD-14 - Masters Jurisdiction is rescinded. PD-34 - Masters' Jurisdiction takes effect on April 25, 2012.

April 10, 2012
Supreme Court of British Columbia 2011 Annual Report

The 2011 Annual Report of the Supreme Court is now available.

April 3, 2012
Announcement from the Rules Revision Committee
Amendments to Supreme Court Civil and Family Rules and Forms - April 25, 2012

Pursuant to Order in Council 192, some important changes to the Supreme Court Civil and Family Rules and certain forms will come into effect on April 25, 2012.

Masters may conduct Trial Management Conferences
Rule 12-2 of the Supreme Court Civil Rules and Rule 14-3 of the Supreme Court Family Rules are amended such that effective April 25, 2012, masters may conduct Trial Management Conferences ("TMCs").
As before, if reasonably practicable, TMCs in civil and family cases will be conducted by the trial judge. However, this amendment is responsive to the circumstance that:

1. from a scheduling perspective, only rarely has it proved to be reasonably practicable for a TMC to be conducted the trial judge, and
2. with the requirement for a TMC in most civil and family cases, the impact on the Court's judicial resources has been significant. Having masters able to conduct TMCs will allow for better management of the work of the Court.

Orders, Child Support Affidavit, Affidavit in Support of Desk Order Divorce

Order in Council 192 also repeals the following forms and substitutes new forms:

Form 8 (Default Judgment)
Form 35 (Order after Application)
Form 79 (Order for Indigent Status)
Form F37 (Child Support Affidavit);
Form F38 (Desk Order Divorce affidavit),
Form F51 (Order made after Application),
Form F52 (Final Order),
Form F54 (Restraining Order
Form F85 (Order for Indigent Status)

The former version of each of these forms contained 'tick box' options which were intended to provide guidance to parties and counsel in drafting the terms of orders, and in preparing the Child Support Affidavit and Affidavit in Support of Desk Order Divorce.

Frequently, tick box options that were not applicable were included in orders submitted to the registry for endorsement, or in Child Support Affidavits or Affidavits in support of Desk Order Divorce filed in the registry.

The result was that orders of the Court, which should be clear to litigants and third parties, were cluttered and confusing. As well, Child Support Affidavits and Affidavits in Support of Desk Order Divorces often were confusing and unclear.

Effective April 25, 2012, the former forms listed above are repealed and new forms are substituted.

The new forms direct that all italicized instructions and options in the form that are not applicable in a particular instance must be removed from the form when it is filed with the registry. It is not sufficient to simply draw lines draw through or strike out the paragraphs or provisions that are inapplicable.

April 2, 2012
Judicial Retirement - The Honourable Madam Marion Allan - April 2, 2012

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that the Honourable Madam Justice Allan retired from the Supreme Court at Vancouver on April 2, 1012.

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