eNews: Court
BC lawyers no longer have to visit a courthouse in person to see Provincial Court records in family matters – they can now access these court records digitally with just a few clicks! This digital access will increase convenience and speed of delivery for lawyers while reducing workload for court registry staff.
How does it work?
During the pandemic the BC Provincial Court modified many of its front-end procedures to maintain British Columbians’ access to justice. Innovations like virtual conferences, virtual bail hearings, and digital court orders did more than that – they reduced barriers for court users and improved timely access. Because they’ve worked well those new procedures are here to stay.
From dental hygiene to housing to art, music and writing opportunities, partnerships with organizations outside the justice system play an important role in the work of Vancouver’s two specialized sentencing courts, the Downtown Community Court and the Drug Treatment Court. Involvement in activities like these help court participants rebuild their lives and avoid criminal behaviour.
On March 13, 2023 fire devastated the Law Courts in Golden, British Columbia. Not just courtrooms, but paper court files were destroyed. Twenty years ago, this would have caused serious delays or put an end to many court proceedings.
Opened in 1914 and constructed in the imposing Classical Revival style, the Vernon Law Courts is one of BC’s older courthouses. Since 2019, it has been undergoing necessary renovation including repairing flood damage, remediating the structural foundation, upgrading the roof and electrical system, and rebuilding cells and courtrooms.