APRIL - JUNE 2013

June 21, 2013

SUPREME COURT RULES AMENDMENTS - HEARING RECORDS REQUIRED FOR REGISTRARS' HEARINGS - July 1, 2013

As of July 1, 2013 an important amendment to the Supreme Court Rules comes into effect which will require a hearing record to be provided on all registrars' hearings started by the filing of an appointment.

The party who files the appointment, must provide the hearing record to the registry where the hearing will take place, no later than 4 p.m. on the business day that is one full business day before the date set for the hearing.

Contents of the Hearing Record

Rule 23-6(3.1) of the Supreme Court Civil Rules (the "Civil Rules") and Rule 22-7(3.1) of the Supreme Court Family Rules (the "Family Rules") - both in effect July 1, 2013 - stipulate that:

1. the hearing record must be in a ring binder or some other form of secure binding, and
   
   
2. the hearing record must contain in consecutively numbered pages, or separated by tabs, the following documents in the following order:
   
   
1. a title page with the style of proceedings and the names of the lawyers, if any, for the applicant and the persons served with the appointment;
2. an index;
3. a copy of the filed appointment and of every document that is required to be filed with that appointment;
4. a copy of the affidavit of service of the appointment but not the exhibits to the affidavit;
5. if the appointment is to settle an order under Civil Rule 13-1 or Family Rule 15-1, a copy of the reasons for judgment on which the order is based, a transcript of the order made or a copy of the clerk's notes from the hearing;
6. if the appointment is to assess costs under Civil Rule 14-1 or Family Rule 16-1, a copy of the entered order for costs;
7. if the appointment is for a reference to the registrar under Rule 18-1, a copy of the entered order referring the matter to the registrar;
8. a copy of every filed affidavit and pleading, and of every other document, that is to be relied on at the hearing.
   
   
3. The hearing record may contain:
1. a draft of the proposed report or certificate, and
2. a list of authorities.
   
   
4. The hearing record must not contain:
1. written argument
2. copies of authorities, including case law, legislation, legal articles or excerpts from text books, or
3. any other documents unless they are included with the consent of the applicant and the respondents.

Required for Hearings Started By the Filing of an Appointment

Civil Rule 23-6(3.1) and Family Rule 22-7(3.1) applies only to registrars' hearings under the Supreme Court Rules which are started by the filing of an appointment.

June 7, 2013
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS - MADAM JUSTICE SHERI ANN DONEGAN, MADAM JUSTICE WENDY J. HARRIS, MR. JUSTICE RONALD A. SKOLROOD, MADAM JUSTICE LISA A. WARREN, AND MADAM JUSTICE MARGOT L. FLEMING - JUNE 6, 2013

The Supreme Court of British Columbia welcomes the appointment of the Honourable Madam Justice Donegan to Kamloops and Madam Justice Harris, , Mr. Justice Skolrood, Madam Justice Warren, and Madam Justice Fleming to Vancouver. For more information about these appointments, please see the press release issued by the Minister of Justice. Public welcoming ceremonies for our new justices will be held in Kamloops and Vancouver on dates to be scheduled. Information about the welcoming ceremonies will be posted on the court's website.

May 14, 2013
SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 2012 ANNUAL REPORT

The Supreme Court 2012 Annual Report is now available.

April 30, 2013
JUDICIAL RETIREMENT - THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RICHARD M.L. BLAIR

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that the Honourable Mr. Justice Richard M. L. Blair retired from the Supreme Court at Kamloops on April 30, 2013.

April 30, 2013
VANCOUVER MASTER'S CHAMBERS SCHEDULING CHANGES - FORECLOSURE APPLICATIONS - MAY 27, 2013

Chief Justice Bauman announced changes to the scheduling of foreclosure applications in Vancouver Masters Chambers. Effective May 27, 2013, non urgent foreclosure matters will only be scheduled in Masters Chambers in Vancouver on Mondays and Thursdays. Urgent applications can continue to be scheduled as needed. The purpose of the scheduling change is to reduce the wait time for counsel and litigants appearing on family and other civil applications and ensure that these applications get heard. The impact of the scheduling changes will be assessed and a decision will be made about whether or not to continue and/or expand the scheduling change to other registries. Details about the scheduling changes are available here.

April 29, 2013
SPEECH BY MR. JUSTICE T. MARK MCEWAN AT THE ACCESS PRO BONO VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BREAKFAST

Mr. Justice McEwan gave a speech at the Access Pro Bono Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on April 25, 2013. A copy of his remarks is available here.

April 8, 2013
SPEECH BY CHIEF JUSTICE BAUMAN AT THE TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BENCH & BAR AWARD LUNCHEON

Chief Justice Bauman accepted the 2013 Bench Award from the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia on Friday. A copy of his remarks is available here.

April 4, 2013
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - APRIL 3, 2013

The Attorney General and the Courts of British Columbia have issued the following press release regarding a memorandum of understanding between the Attorney General, the Chief Justice of British Columbia, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court.

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