News

Purpose: To clarify the Court’s expectation of lawyers seeking to withdraw as counsel of record in a criminal matter.

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

This Criminal Practice Direction describes the process by which the Court will manage large or complex criminal cases that show a potential to occupy a very significant amount of court time or to risk delays in reaching and concluding the trial.

This Criminal Practice Direction describes the requirements for pre-trial conferences in criminal trials and extradition hearings.

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

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.

The Criminal Justice - Vancouver Section has released a newsletter.