eNews: Court
Is there a question you’ve always wanted to ask the Chief Judge? You’ll have your chance during Law Week. The BC Provincial Court’s Chief Judge Thomas Crabtree will host a live Twitter Town Hall on BC Law Day, April 14, 2016. You’re invited to participate in this unprecedented opportunity to chat with the Chief Judge on Twitter by using the hashtag #AskChiefJudge.
One of the most notable features of any British Columbia courtroom is the large coat of arms on the wall behind the judge’s bench. Unlike courts in many other Canadian provinces, all of the courts in our province have traditionally displayed the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, the official coat of arms of the British monarch.
In a unique program developed by the Provincial Court of BC and UBC’s Allard School of Law, students spend a term interning in the Court. As they conduct legal research for and are mentored by judges, they gain perspectives that enrich their understanding of the court system and their communities. Accompanying a judge on a circuit court is a highlight of each student’s term with the Court.
In order to provide people around the province with access to justice Provincial Court judges hold court in more than 80 locations in British Columbia. In smaller communities the number of cases doesn’t require a full time court, so judges travel there regularly.
The Court Services Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Justice (CSB) has partnered with an internet service provider to offer free WiFi service in many B.C. courthouses.