With the increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in the Province of Alberta, the Court is extending and expanding its efforts to minimize traffic at all courthouses. The Court will hear matters as set out in this announcement:
I. Child Support List – Calgary and Edmonton
In Calgary, the Child Support List will be adjourned until further notice.
In Edmonton, the Child Support List will be heard remotely.
II. Bail Estreatments – Calgary and Edmonton
In Calgary and Edmonton, Bail Estreatments will be adjourned until further notice.
III. Regional Centres: Emergency Protection Order hearings with oral evidence:
In all centres outside of Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge, Emergency Protection Order proceedings involving the hearing of oral evidence (EVVs) will be conducted remotely or, alternatively, adjourned to a later date.
IV. Matters Requiring Oral Evidence
With the exception of EVVs in centres outside Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge, all Trials, including Jury Trials, and other hearings involving witnesses who are required to give oral evidence will proceed in person, at the appropriate courthouse or off-site Court Location.
Any request to have a witness give oral evidence by videoconference must be made to the case management Justice or to the hearing/trial judge, if known well in advance of the trial date, or to either Chief Justice Moreau or Associate Chief Justice Nielsen.
ls in custody may sometimes appear in person at Bail Hearings and Criminal Appearance Courts, courtrooms for Bail Hearings and Criminal Appearance Courts will remain open in all Judicial Centres. However, to the extent possible, Bail and other matters on the Criminal Appearance Court lists should be conducted remotely.
V. All Other Matters
All other matters, ie. all matters not requiring oral evidence, including all matters in Masters Chambers will continue to be heard remotely. Courtrooms for all such matters will be closed. Parties and Counsel are directed to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta website for instructions on the conduct of remote proceedings, here.
VI. Booking of New Matters
The booking of new Criminal, Civil, Family and Commercial Trials and lengthy Special Chambers applications will continue.
VII. Filing and Orders
Given the need to minimize traffic at all courthouses, Counsel and parties are reminded that, unless a matter is truly urgent (ie. unless the document must be filed on the same day):
1. All documents must be filed by email. Court clerks are being directed to reject paper filings unless the document must be filed immediately. Instructions for email filing are located on the Court’s website, at the following links:
Email Filing Procedure
Guidelines for Documents Files by Email/E-filing Checklist
2. All Orders are to be submitted via email:
a) in Justice and Family Chambers, in .doc or .docx (Microsoft Word) format;
b) in Masters’ Chambers, in .pdf format.
The Court is tracking the materials that are filed on paper and in person at court facilities; individuals who are filing non-urgent materials may expect to hear from the Chief Justice.