JANUARY - MARCH 2021

March 31,, 2021
SUPREME COURT ANNUAL REPORT 2020

The Annual Report of the Supreme Court of British Columbia covering the activities of the Court for 2020 is now available.

March 24,, 2021
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT

The Supreme Court of British Columbia welcomes the appointment of the Honourable Mr. Justice F. Matthew Kirchner to Vancouver. For more information about Mr. Justice Kirchner, please see the news release issued by the Department of Justice Canada. A public welcoming ceremony for Mr. Justice Kirchner will be held on a date to be scheduled, and information about the welcoming ceremony will be posted on the Court’s website once it is available.

March 2, 2021
COVID-19 NOTICE NO. 41 - AMENDMENTS TO THE SUPREME COURT CIVIL RULES - TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF CIVIL JURY TRIALS - UPDATED

Government has amended the Supreme Court Civil Rules to extend the temporary suspension of civil jury trials until October 7, 2022. Civil jury trials will resume on October 8, 2022. Beginning March 29, 2021, parties may file a notice requiring trial by jury for trials scheduled on or after October 8, 2022. For more information, see the Court’s notice about the suspension of civil jury trials, available here, and the order-in-council, available here.

March 1,, 2021
JUDICIAL TRANSFERS

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces the following judicial transfers occurred on February 1, 2021:

• The Honourable Mr. Justice Punnett to Prince Rupert from Victoria
• The Honourable Mr. Justice Saunders to Victoria from New Westminster
• The Honourable Mr. Justice Dley to Abbotsford from Kamloops
• The Honourable Mr. Justice Jenkins to Abbotsford from New Westminster
• The Honourable Mr. Justice Caldwell to Abbotsford from New Westminster

March 1, 2021
FAMILY PRACTICE DIRECTIONS AND FAMILY LAW RESOURCES

Chief Justice Hinkson has issued two family practice directions:

• FPD 16 - Return Applications under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction - Procedural Requirements, effective March 1, 2021. This practice direction has been updated for clarity. FPD 16 rescinds and replaces FPD 9.
• FPD 17 - Divorce Applications, effective March 1, 2021. This practice direction has been updated and includes changes to reflect the amendments to the Divorce Act. FPD 17 rescinds and replaces FPD 15.

The following family law resources have been updated and include changes to reflect the amendments to the Divorce Act:

• Supreme Court Family Order Picklist;
• Litigants’ Guide to Judicial Case Conferences; and
• Judicial Case Conference Case Management Form.

February 25, 2021
DIVORCE ACT AMENDMENTS AND REVISED SUPREME COURT FAMILY FORMS

The new amendments to the Divorce Act take effect on March 1, 2021. Some changes to the Supreme Court Family Rules and Forms will also come into effect on March 1, 2021 to reflect the amendments to the Divorce Act. More information about the new forms will be available on the Ministry of Attorney General’s website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-family-forms

Effective March 1, 2021, the Registry staff will only accept the new Supreme Court Family Forms.

February 3, 2021
NOTICE TO THE PROFESSION RE GRACE PERIOD FOR ACCEPTANCE OF FORMER SUPREME COURT FAMILY FORMS

Chief Justice Hinkson has issued a Notice to the Profession, the Public and the Media which implements a grace period during which the Registry will accept former Supreme Court Family Forms or new Supreme Court Family Forms that were amended by Order in Council 26/2021 up to and including February 26, 2021. Effective March 1, 2021, Registry staff will no longer accept the former Forms and will only accept Supreme Court Family Forms as amended by Order in Council 467/2020 and Order in Council 26/2021.

February 3, 2021
ABBOTSFORD LAW COURTS VIRTUAL OPENING

Please be advised that a virtual opening ceremony for the new Abbotsford Law Courts will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2021. The event will be streamed live here beginning at 12:30 p.m.

January 11, 2021
ABBOTSFORD LAW COURTS - CHAMBERS APPLICATIONS OF TWO HOURS OR LESS

The new Supreme Court location in Abbotsford will open on January 18, 2021. The Court will begin hearing chambers applications of two hours or less in Abbotsford the week of February 16, 2021. Please see the attached notice for more information.

January 18, 2021
JUDICIAL RETIREMENT - THE HONOURABLE MADAM JUSTICE MARY A. HUMPHRIES

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that the Honorable Madam Justice Humphries retired from the Supreme Court of British Columbia at Vancouver on January 15, 2021. Madam Justice Humphries was appointed to the Supreme Court in Vancouver on January 27, 1994.

January 18, 2021
RETIREMENT - MASTER DENNIS TOKAREK

The Supreme Court of British Columbia announces that Master Tokarek retired from the Supreme Court of British Columbia at Vancouver on January 11, 2021. Master Tokarek was appointed Master of the Supreme Court in Vancouver on September 9, 1991.

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