The Court continues to assess the ongoing need and demand for, and the Court’s ability to resource, Queen’s Bench summer trial sittings. Based on recent experience, and current resources, the following principles will apply to the summer of 2018 in Edmonton, Calgary and Regional Judicial Centres.
- Summer trial bookings in Edmonton and Calgary will open up immediately with one justice being assigned each week to hear non-jury criminal and civil trials of five days or less (some longer trials may be permitted) throughout July and August.
- Priority for summer bookings will be assigned to the following trials:
Criminal: Accused in custody on the charge(s) before the Court, serious situations of delay impacting R v Jordan, or situations where there is good reason for urgency (such as where special arrangements are required to accommodate witnesses).
Civil: Family law matters involving child-related mobility decision-making required before September school commencement; and any civil, non-family, matters where there is good reason for urgency (such as where special arrangements are required to accommodate witnesses).
Summer trial assignments for civil and criminal trials will require the prior approval (arranged through the pertinent Court Coordinator’s Office) of:
- the Chief Justice, or her designate, in the Judicial Centres of Red Deer and North;
- the Associate Chief Justice, or his designate, for Judicial Centres South of Red Deer; or
- for criminal trials in those judicial centres, the Queen’s Bench Edmonton Appearance Court (QBAC) or Calgary Appearance Court (CAC) Justice based on the above priorities.
Additionally, in Red Deer, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, the Senior Resident Justice may give prior approval for one or more trials, using the above criteria.
Criminal and civil matters not coming within the above priorities may be booked on an overbook basis on the understanding that these matters may be bumped.