COVID-19 Announcements

Effective immediately, where the accused is represented by Counsel and where Crown and Defence Counsel consent to waive the conduct of an oral hearing and cross-examination on affidavit evidence, voir dires or other pre-trial applications involving Criminal Code offences (excepting cases involving ss. 276/278 of the Criminal Code which contain specific hearing requirements) may be submitted to the Court with affidavit evidence and written argument (along with an electronic copy of video tape in the case of a s. 715.1 voir dire) to be considered by way of desk application.

Effective immediately, where the accused is represented by Counsel and where Crown and Defence Counsel agree, Summary Conviction Appeals involving Criminal Code offences may be submitted to the Court with written argument to be considered by way of desk application.

Commencing June, July and August, 2020, the Court will be hearing some short, judge-alone Criminal trials in-person in COVID-safe courtrooms. The Court will also be hearing some short, judge-alone Criminal trials via Webex video, where the accused is represented by Counsel and both Crown and Defence Counsel agree to proceed in this manner.

Effective immediately, all desk applications that are signed by a Justice or a Master will first be filed by the Court and the Applicant will be required to pay any outstanding fees pertaining to the processing of the Order, prior to the Order being returned to the Applicant for service upon the Respondent(s).

The Court of Queen's Bench will extend its limitation of hearings to emergency and urgent matters only to June 26, 2020, and the adjournment of criminal jury trials and jury selections to September 8, 2020, per the Court's Master Order #4 of May 14, 2020. Master Order #4 is a supplement to, and does not replace, Master Order #3 of April 21, 2020.

Effective May 13, 2020, the Court will be implementing a Family Docket Court in Calgary and Edmonton. All family matters must first be scheduled in Family Docket Court before any other Court process can be scheduled. It is anticipated that the first sittings of the Family Docket Court will occur in the week of May 18, 2020.

The Court is now processing electronic Without Notice Applications before a Master in Chambers province-wide in accordance with the following procedures.

Effective immediately, in cases where each party is represented by a lawyer, family applications that are too complex for a Simple Desk Application process may be made by desk application with written argument.

Effective immediately, in family law matters, desk applications may be made to the Court for simple applications (defined as those matters set out in the Application List below). There is a limit of two (2) issues per application.

Effective immediately, a party requesting financial disclosure under Rule 12.41 of the Alberta Rules of Court will use a desk application process to obtain a Disclosure Order if the other party fails to complete disclosure in response to the Notice to Disclose.

To assist with scheduling, the Court is releasing the Roster Justices sitting in May 2020. Scheduling does not change; please continue to follow the appropriate protocol.

The Court is now hearing Summary Dispositions via Webex in cases where all parties agree to proceed in this manner. Requests for a Summary Disposition Hearing must be made by completing the Summary Disposition Hearing Request Form online. The Court is continuing to follow the Hub model for these hearings – please ensure you select the correct Hub for the Judicial Centre the file is located in. The Justice will appear remotely from the Hub location but the file will remain in its original jurisdiction and it will be clerked there.

Individuals who are eligible and wish to seek admission to the Bar of Alberta are asked to apply through the Court's Emergency/Urgent Hearing Request online form, available here: https://www.albertacourts.ca/qb/court-operations-schedules/urgent

Legal Aid Alberta is providing legal assistance to parties to Court of Queen's Bench Emergency Protection Order Review hearings remotely. See the Legal Aid Alberta announcement, and important information for Applicants and Respondents, at this link: https://www.legalaid.ab.ca/Pages/default.aspx

Court of Queen’s Bench Administration has extended the cap on email and fax filing fees until June 30th. In addition to regular filing fees, documents that are filed via email or fax will be charged at the rate of $1 per page, capped to a maximum of $20.

The Court has made minor amendments to clarify its Master Order #3, which sets out limitations on hearings and modified processes as a result of COVID-19.

To help contain the spread of COVID-19, the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench will extend its limitation of hearings to emergency and urgent matters only to May 31, 2020, and the adjournment of criminal jury trials and jury selections to September 8, 2020, per the Court’s Master Order #3 of April 21, 2020.

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Court is conducting an increased number of hearings by videoconference or audioconference. To protect the integrity of Court proceedings, parties participating in a videoconference or audioconference hearing must sign the Undertaking and Agreement of Non-Lawyer posted to the Court’s website at: https://www.albertacourts.ca/qb/resources/media, and return a signed copy via email to: CommunicationsOfficer.qb@albertacourts.ca or via facsimile to: (403) 297-8625.

Applications for grants of probate and administration require the execution and submission of documents to the Court. Several of those documents, such as NC 1 and NC 2, require the original signature of the Applicant. Surrogate Rule 16 requires the Applicant to mark the back of the will for identification. NC 6.1, if applicable, requires a trustee to execute an acknowledgment. Depending on the circumstances, other affidavits, such as NC 8, NC 9 and NC 11, may be required to be completed and filed.

The Court continues to hear emergency and urgent matters during the COVID-19 outbreak. A definition of which matters may be deemed to be emergency or urgent is reproduced here, in full, from Appendix B of the all-Courts' Notice to Profession and Public.

Effective March 30, 2020 the Court will process all Consent Orders resolving any matter over which the Court has jurisdiction, including non-urgent matters and Consent Orders to enforce Mediation or Arbitration Awards, by email or fax.

Effective immediately, counsel may submit signed Master and Justice Consent Orders for processing through email.

The Alberta Courts are attempting to balance the open court principle with public health priorities. The Courts are taking proactive preventative measures to protect justice system participants and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

All requests for an emergency or urgent hearing during the sitting suspension period should be submitted via the online Emergency/Urgent Hearing Request Form. All emergency/urgent hearings will be presided over by Justices or Masters in the following locations, as set out in the Amended Master Order #2 of March 25, 2020.