More Supreme Court of B.C. civil and family hearings can now be done through videoconferencing, the B.C. government announced May 13.

More routine civil and family matters in the Supreme Court of British Columbia can be handled via videoconferencing, reducing long commutes, time off work or added travel costs.

“Justice should be accessible no matter where you live,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “Letting people join routine court matters by video means fewer long drives, fewer days off work and one less reason to scramble for child care. It is a practical step, led by the B.C. Supreme Court, that makes B.C.’s courts work for the realities of people’s lives.”

New directions from the Supreme Court of B.C. set attendance via videoconferencing as the default for case planning conferences and judicial management conferences in civil and family proceedings.

* Judicial management conferences are conferences before a Supreme Court judge or associate judge that generally relate to procedural matters in civil and family law cases.

* Case planning conferences are similar conferences used to manage civil and family proceedings by setting timelines for different steps in a proceeding in order to resolve matters efficiently and avoid unnecessary costs.

The Province’s Court Services Branch, which manages courtroom administration, will support the implementation of these changes as part of its ongoing work to enhance the convenience and efficiency of court processes in B.C.’s court services to meet the needs of people in B.C.

People can now participate in these hearings in the comfort of their home or another location where they have peace of mind.

For someone living in a rural area with a routine civil or family matter, this may mean joining the hearing from home or their office on a phone or laptop, without a commute to a courthouse in a neighbouring jurisdiction, a full day off work or the need to arrange child care.

“For families and individuals navigating family law matters, getting to court can be costly, intimidating and sometimes even traumatizing,” said Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity. “The option to attend court by video can reduce fear, as well as avoid unnecessary contact and retraumatization. Expanding virtual access is about reducing barriers and making the justice system more responsive to people’s real-life circumstances.”

In addition, judges and associate judges will be able to conduct hearings for proceedings in other locations throughout the province.

For example, a judge in a courtroom in Victoria may hear matters underway in northern B.C. This flexibility helps ensure matters are heard in a timely way and supports overall court efficiency.

Videoconferencing attendance for certain scheduled conferences in civil and family cases took effect May 4.

People participating in these cases receive a Microsoft Teams link before their hearing.

People can ask to attend in person or by phone if videoconferencing does not suit them, at the court’s discretion.

Anyone who needs to attend in person or by phone may apply to the court.

Participants appearing by videoconference must observe the formality and decorum of a court proceeding.

e-KNOW file photo

e-KNOW

Article Share