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Murray Rankin also adds housing responsibilities, has short-term goals for temporary role

To set out the directions for centralized virtual bail hearings in virtual courtrooms during court sitting hours on weekdays in the Northern and Interior Regions.

Further to NP 28 Court Operations During Communicable Phase of COVID-19, the purpose of this Practice Direction is to set out some interim guidelines to govern initial appearance court (IAR) during this phase, while ensuring that people only come to IAR in-person when necessary.

There are two main purposes behind these pre-trial conferences. The first is to reduce the number of files being set for trial by helping to ensure that only those requiring a trial are actually set for hearing. The second purpose is to manage those files that are to be set for trial to ensure that accurate time estimates have been determined prior to dates being set and ensure hearings complete on time as scheduled.

ALERT: Until further notice, for the purpose of this Practice Direction, the Judicial Case Manager’s (JCM) office operates on a remote basis at this time.

The changes will avoid lawyers having to raise the issue only after incorrect titles or pronouns are used, and supports a shift in professional practice toward asking all people how they should be respectfully addressed.

CV PTCs, which were introduced on May 4, 2020, will continue until further notice for all criminal cases where the trial was adjourned or is at risk of being adjourned because of direct or indirect effects of the public health emergency.

The Criminal Justice - Vancouver Section has released a newsletter.

Like all of you, the CBABC office is putting plans together to protect our members, our communities, our employees and their families against the COVID-19 virus. To that end, we have decided to implement a number of changes.

"We were deeply disappointed to hear about the government’s plans, particularly in light of the lack of public and industry consultation on the pros and cons of such a material change to BC’s insurance regime." Ken Armstrong, CBABC President 2019-20