Please be advised that, further to consultation with the bar through the Canadian Bar Association and the Court’s town hall meetings, and to allow for additional slots for half-day Special Chambers Applications in Calgary, the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta is making changes in Calgary only to the New Duty Grid Pilot Project (“the Project”) that commenced on September 6, 2016 and making some further adjustments to the scheduling of certain Family Applications. Additional details about the implementation of the pilot project in Edmonton and changes to the Project in Calgary are provided below. Notice to Profession NP2016-05 “New Duty Grid Pilot Project” is hereby repealed effective September 5, 2017.
In addition to changes to the scheduling of Family Law Chambers, as set out below, all applications without notice (including consent orders) that fall within a Master's jurisdiction (including substitutional service orders in divorce actions) must continue to be brought before a Master in Calgary and in Edmonton, rather than in Justice Chambers.
Edmonton
One Family Law Chambers sitting will be held each morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday.
Emergency Protection Order Reviews will continue to be heard at 9:30 a.m.
Morning Family Law Chambers will continue to commence at 10:00 a.m. and conclude when the morning list is complete (typically, no later than 12:30 p.m.)
Afternoon Family Law Chambers will commence at 2:00 p.m. and continue until the afternoon list is complete (typically, no later than 4:30 p.m.).
The lists will continue to be capped to prevent overrun.
Legal Aid Duty Counsel and Court Generated Order Clerks will continue to be present in both the morning and afternoon sittings of Family Law Chambers.
Counsel and self-represented litigants will have the option of attending either morning or afternoon sittings of Family Law Chambers.
If a Justice presiding in Family Law Chambers is disqualified from hearing a matter, he/she may direct the matter to be heard in the morning sitting of (Civil) Justice Chambers or by the Emergency Duty Justice in a courtroom to be assigned.
Calgary
Effective September 5, 2017 there will be two Family Law Chambers sittings held each morning (one self-represented and one for counsel represented matters).
Emergency Protection Order Reviews will continue to be heard daily at 9:30 in the same courtroom that Family Law Chambers are heard.
Morning Family Law Chambers will continue to commence at 10:00 a.m. and conclude when the morning list is complete (typically, no later than 12:30 p.m.)
Legal Aid Duty Counsel and Court Generated Order Clerks will continue to be present in the sittings of self-represented Family Law Chambers.
Litigants attending for self-represented chambers will be directed to attend at Duty Counsel’s office at 8:15 a.m. in order to ensure that chambers can begin on time.
All telephone applications in Morning Family Law Chambers will be heard at the end of the Chambers List.
The lists will continue to be capped to prevent overrun.
Interjurisdictional Support Orders/Confirmation Hearings will be heard on the second and Fourth Monday of every month, at 2 p.m.
There will no longer be a scheduled “Uncontested Divorce” list for urgent uncontested divorces.
Parties who require an uncontested divorce on an urgent basis must provide a letter to the divorce section setting out the reason for the request, which will be considered by the Justice reviewing uncontested divorce applications.
Adoptions will be heard on the Second Monday of every month, at 2 p.m.
The Speak To List for Family appeals will be heard on the second Monday of every month at 3 p.m., following Adoptions.
The Child Support List will be heard on the first and last Monday of every month, at 2 p.m.
All matters already booked at the time of the Notice will be heard on the dates booked unless the parties are contacted and advised otherwise.