One of the recommendations in the Report of the Civil Justice Reform Working Group was to create new Supreme Court Rules. In July 2007, the Civil Rules Drafting Group prepared a Concept Draft of the proposed new Rules. The draft has gone through extensive revisions based on the consultation process. Updates on the proposed civil rules will be posted to this website: www.bcjusticereviewforum.ca/civilrules/.
September 2008
Responses to Concerns Raised by the Profession
June 2008
Questions and Answers for Justice System Professionals
The consultations on the civil rules were unprecedented in their scope and extent. Chief Justice Donald Brenner and Deputy Attorney General Allan Seckel QC toured the province since December 2006, speaking to Bar Associations, judges, law students, experts, service clubs, and others. They presented the recommendations of the Civil Justice Reform Working Group (CJRWG) at over 50 venues and answered questions. They also conducted five focus groups with lawyers across the province. Additionally, the website above was set up as an on-line forum to receive comments on the draft. The site has been viewed more than 6,500 times. To review the feedback submitted on the site, and additional background documents, please see www.bcjusticereviewforum.ca/civilrules.
Finally, the proposed rules were reviewed in detail by the Rules Revision Committee, which is proposing final revisions. The comments received on the proposed civil rules have resulted in numerous and substantial changes to the original recommendations expressed by the Working Group. The consultation period on the proposed civil rules ended on December 31, 2008.
Implementation plans: If the rules are approved by Cabinet, the Ministry of Attorney General will create the court forms, educational materials, etc. necessary for final implementation in 2010.
Chief Justice Donald Brenner, Supreme Court of BC (Co-Chair)
Allan Seckel QC, Deputy Attorney General (Co-Chair)
Madam Justice Laura Gerow, Supreme Court of BC
Judge Dennis Schmidt, Provincial Court of BC
Master William McCallum, Rules Revision Committee
Richard Margetts QC, Law Society of BC
Jim Vilvang QC, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch
Helen Pedneault, former Assistant Deputy Minister, Court Services Branch
Master Barbara Young, Supreme Court of BC
George Macintosh QC, Member at Large
Carol McEown, former manager, Legal Services Society
Craig P Dennis, Member at Large
Click here to access the Working Group's report, entitled, Effective and
Affordable Civil Justice. [November 2006]
Click here to access the backgrounder to the report. [November 27, 2006]
The BC Justice Review Task Force was established in March, 2002 as a joint project of the Law Society, the Attorney General, the BC Supreme Court, the BC Provincial Court and the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
The BC Justice Review Task Force was established on the initiative of the Law Society of BC in March, 2002 and is a joint project of the Law Society, the Attorney General, the BC Supreme Court, the BC Provincial Court and the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
October 2004
Civil Justice Reform Working Group
June 9-10 2005
Restructuring Justice Conference
June 20, 2008
Consultation Period Extended for New Civil Rules - Backgrounder
November 27, 2006
Task Force Proposes Fundamental Civil Justice System Reform - Backgrounder
September 27, 2004 - Ministry of Attorney General
Task Force Tackles Civil Justice System Reforms
September 27, 2004 - Ministry of Attorney General
Task Force Tackles Civil Justice System Reforms
Civil Justice Reform Working Group
April 2008
Access to Justice: Remarks of the Honourable Warren Winkler, Chief Justice of Ontario
February 2006
Change in Legal Culture: Barriers and New Opportunities
January 18, 2006
Major Themes of Civil Justice Reform
September 29, 2005
Proportionality: A More Effective Tool
June 20, 2005
Is "Defensive Practice" by Lawyers an Obstacle for Access to the Courts?
February 23, 2005
Legal Culture
September 21, 2004
Green Paper: The Foundations of Civil Justice Reform
November 2007
Ontario Civil Justice Reform Project
August 1996
CBA, Systems of Civil Justice Task Force Report
October 7, 2004
Civil Justice Reform Working Group
|
|
|
