The 2013/14 Annual Report of the Provincial Court of B.C. is now available. The report highlights initiatives designed to provide British Columbians with a modern, effective and accessible system of justice, including the Court’s administrative reorganization, trial scheduling reform, backlog reduction project, and Interjurisdictional Support Order Initiative. Reflecting the Court’s commitment to open and transparent access, it also shares the results of complaints about Provincial Court judicial officers.
In addition, the report outlines the Court’s progress towards its goal of providing timely, effective and equitable justice. Time to trial for criminal cases has continued to improve, with criminal cases meeting standards on a provincial basis. Time to trial in other cases is also improving, as the Court continues its efforts to meet standards in family, civil and youth matters.
In his introduction to the Report Chief Judge Thomas J. Crabtree says “The Court continues to act with a reduced complement of Judges, having a judicial full-time equivalent of 125.35, compared to 130.15 in 2012. The determination of an appropriate complement of judges to serve the needs of the people of the province and the timely replacement of judges to maintain such a complement is integral to administering the Court. I look forward to new appointments to the bench that will fully meet the needs of the province.”
For monthly reports on the Court’s complement of judges see Court Reports on the Provincial Court website.