Canada’s first online application system for judicial appointments launched!

Posted to: 
Court
Judges
04/09/2017

The Provincial Court of British Columbia is one of a handful of courts in the world to adopt online applications for appointment as a judicial officer. On September 5, 2017, BC’s Judicial Council launched an online application process for all judicial appointments to the Provincial Court - judges, judicial justices, and justices of the peace. The Court no longer accepts paper applications.

The system works this way. Applicants begin by creating a user account that gives them access to an online application form. Those seeking appointment as a judge or judicial justice are also provided with a worksheet they can use to compile the information needed to complete the form. While working on an application, applicants can save their work, log out, and log back in to continue. With the exception of a medical release form to be completed by a physician, all supplementary forms are also completed online.

Once an application is submitted, the Court will acknowledge receipt with an email containing a copy of the application. The Court will send a follow up email after the application has been reviewed and accepted for processing. Applicants can print a copy of their application before submitting it. However, after submission they are not able to access it for privacy and security reasons.

These applications are now available on the Provincial Court website:

• Judicial candidate application (for appointment as a judge)
• Judicial Justice candidate application
• Judicial re-appointment application (for re-appointment of a retired judge)
• Justice of the Peace application

Chief Judge Thomas Crabtree said, “The Court is excited about the new system. This online application process is the first public web-facing application to be implemented by Judicial Council. The BC Judicial Council and the Court continue to make business process improvements by using technology to create efficiencies and more effective use of internal resources.”

He added, “We think this initiative benefits both applicants and the Court. It enables Judicial Council to view an applicant’s profile using enhanced technology and offers better tools to prepare and manage the appointment process. It should speed and simplify the processing of applications. It will also provide the Chief Judge with improved access to management information and to reporting that will better inform Judicial Council, the Court, and the public about candidate demographics.”

For more information on the Provincial Court appointment process, see Judicial Council’s Annual Reports.

For more on the online application system, see:
Appointment of Judges
Appointment of Judicial Justices
Judicial Case Managers
Court Services Justices of the Peace