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The BC Provincial Court welcomes the development of apps to increase access to justice for Provincial Court users. It’s no secret that many British Columbians encounter significant barriers to obtaining justice through the courts. Mobile and web-based apps offer exciting opportunities to reduce those barriers, but they also present risks that must be addressed.
BC Provincial Court judges have a history of producing and sharing practical resources to help trial judges achieve the excellence that is one of our court’s core values. Under the auspices of the BC Provincial Court Judges Association, volunteer judges have created and maintained two aids that proved so valuable they are being used by judges and others across Canada.
Judges and judicial justices don’t just preside in court and volunteer in their communities. They also volunteer to serve on the various committees established within the Court to help the Chief Judge with the Court’s administration and contribute to the education of their colleagues.
The Court’s Committees
Everyone agrees the practice of law is changing. To help them keep up with or ahead of change, Courthouse Libraries BC is asking BC lawyers to answer just a few questions about the current nature of their work, their information needs, and how change is affecting their practice.
Until recently, the law only permitted judges to consider victim impact statements submitted by individuals. But in July 2015, the federal government changed Canada's Criminal Code to allow judges to consider community impact statements when they are sentencing people for criminal offences.