NOTICE TO THE PROFESSION

EXPANSION OF MATTERS TO BE HEARD

IN THE ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT – SOUTHWEST REGION

The urgent matters we have already been hearing will, of course, continue to be a priority nd will be triaged to ensure urgency.

All urgent requests for hearings are to include an e-mail (maximum 2 pages) stating the relief requested and why it is urgent.

In addition, on April 6, 2020 the Southwest Region will expand in the following areas subject to available technology and any further direction by the Regional Senior Judge:

[Criminal and Family portions are omitted from this blog post.]

CIVIL

Urgent and emergency civil matters set out in the Notice to the Profession released by the Superior Court of Justice on March 15, 2020 will continue to be heard. Starting on Monday, April 6, 2020, the court will also accept the following additional civil filings by e-mail to the addresses indicated below, subject to technology and the direction of the Regional Senior Judge:

1. Pre-Trial Conferences for Settlement Purposes Only – For civil trials or pre-trial conferences that were cancelled in March or April 2020, parties may file request for pre-trial conference and pre-trial conference brief.* The parties must:

(i) the case is ready for settlement discussions;

(ii) there are no impediments to a full discussion of resolution such as outstanding expert reports or productions, and

(iii) the parties will attend with full authority to settle;

(c) Limit the pre-trial conference brief to ten (10) pages or fewer in length (no trial management sections are to be included); and

(d) Provide hyperlinks in the pre-trial conference brief to expert reports, case law, and any other pertinent documents.

Requests for pre-trial conferences and pre-trial conference briefs must be e-mailed to the trial co-ordinator at the e-mail address set out below. No trial management discussions will take place during the pre-trial conferences at this time.

*Starting on Monday, April 27, 2020, parties may request pre-trial conferences for civil trials and pre-trial conferences that were cancelled in May 2020.

2. In-writing motions or applications under Rule 7 of the Rules of Civil Procedure (parties under disability).

3. In-writing consent motions.

In-writing motions and applications listed in paragraphs 2 and 3 above must be e-mailed to the generic CSD drop box at the address set out below.

Regional Senior Justice B. G. Thomas

April 2, 2020

[Filing email addresses omitted.]