Due to the forecasted blizzard conditions, preparations are being made for potential court closures throughout Manitoba for all three levels of court on April 13 and 14.
Should the Courts be closed on these dates, the Great Library will also be closed. We will be working remotely and can still be reached at library@lawsociety.mb.ca.
March 1, 2022 – Adjustments to current scheduling protocols – March 7, 2022 until further notice
“Commencing on Monday, March 7, 2022, the following protocols will be in effect: All judge-alone and jury criminal trials for both in-custody and out-of-custody accused will proceed as scheduled and in person, including where an accused is self-represented.”
This change includes civil trials, civil hearings where there is to be oral evidence, the Protection Order Hearing List, and JADR’s. All contested applications, motions, summary conviction appeals, and special hearing bails and bail reviews will proceed by video conference. Video conference hearing protocols can be found here.
The new scheduling protocols will be modified on April 4, 2022, and then again on September 6, 2022.
The full notice with further details about scheduling protocol modifications can be found here.
March 1, 2022 – Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench – Masters – Re: Covid-19 update
“The Notices issued by the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Masters on March 17, 2020, April 7, 2020, April 24, 2020 and May 11, 2020, September 1, 2021 and January 14, 2022, are being updated with the changes noted below, which are to take effect March 14, 2022, and continue in place until further notice.”
Maintenance Enforcement Dockets and matters involving the provision of viva voce evidence will return to in-person. Child Protection Dockets, Master’s Civil and Family Uncontested List, Bankruptcy Dockets, Contested Motions, and Uncontested Passing of Accounts and Hearings for Directions will continue via teleconference for the time being.
The full notice regarding these changes can be found here.
For all Court of Queen’s Bench COVID-19 notices, click here.
“Given the recently announced easing of Public Health Order restrictions that began on February 15, 2022, and, assuming the public health situation remains stable, the Manitoba Court of Appeal will resume its in-person appeal hearings in Courtroom 330 and in-person chambers motions in Courtroom 130 starting on Monday, March 14, 2022.”
Read the full notice here.
For all Court of Appeal COVID-19 notices, click here.
February 18, 2022 – Provincial Court of Manitoba will begin resuming all regularly scheduled sittings and special sittings effective Monday, February 28, 2022.
“The Court will resume all regularly scheduled sittings and all previously scheduled special sittings in all locations and will resume hearing all matters including trials, preliminary inquiries, dispositions and bail applications in all court centres and circuit locations, subject to specific localized closures. Judicial Justice of the Peace dockets in Thompson circuit locations will continue to be held remotely until further notice.”
“Unless counsel is already appearing on a matter requiring a personal appearance, the presumption that counsel and accused persons will appear remotely continues to apply to all other matters where nothing substantive is expected to take place.”
“The Provincial Court of Manitoba remains closed to members of the general public.”
See the full notice for more details.
All Provincial Court COVID related notices are available on the Manitoba Courts website.
January 14, 2022 – Notice to the Profession – Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench – Masters RE: COVID-19 Update
“The Notices issued by Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Masters on March 17, 2020, April 7, 2020, April 24, 2020, May 11, 2020, and September 1, 2020 are being updated with the changes noted below, which are to take effect immediately, and continue in place to at least March 4, 2022, or further notice of the court. These changes reflect the challenges related to the continuing and increasing threats associated with the COVID-19 virus and in particular, the alarming increase in the positivity rate within our communities. These changes will mirror those announced by the Chief Justice, Court of Queen’s Bench for the period of January 10 to March 4, 2022.
“Given the increasing rates of community transmission and potential impact on Manitoba’s healthcare system, we are cancelling all in-person hearings set to proceed during this period, or until further notice.”
The full text outlining the changes can be accessed here.
Visit the Manitoba Courts website for all COVID related notices.
December 22, 2021 – Amendments to the Court of Queen’s Bench Rules
“On November 12, 2021, The Queen’s Bench Statutory Rules Committee met and passed Queen’s Bench Rule Amendments dealing with Rule 76 Small Claims. The Rule 76 Amendments are required to align with amendments to the Court of Queen’s Bench Small Claims Practices Act coming into force on January 1, 2022.
The Rule 76 amendments address appeals of a decision of a court officer, with a new requirement for an Application for Leave to Appeal and Notice of Appeal to be accompanied by a copy of the transcript of proceedings before the court officer or proof that a transcript of the proceedings has been ordered.
The full text of the amendments, Manitoba Regulation 151/2021, can be located at: https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/regs/annual/2021/151.pdf.”
See here for all Queen’s Bench Notices and Practice Directions.
Notice – Suspension and Restrictions of Hearings (December 23, 2021)
” Effective immediately in all centres, all adult and youth in custody bail and disposition courts will continue to sit and all bails and dispositions will presumptively be done virtually, either by video or telephone until further notice. Bail Triage will proceed virtually.”
“Effective January 4, 2022, in the major court centres of Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Brandon, Dauphin, The Pas and Thompson, the Provincial Court of Manitoba will hear all in custody and out of custody trials, continuations, special sittings and preliminary hearings in person.”
For more information including Gun Prohibition Court, Legal Aid Administrative Court, Private Prosecution Court, Circuit Locations, Child Protection and Family Matters, and others, see the full notice.
Visit the Manitoba Courts website for all COVID related notices.
Notice – All Hearings of the Court of Appeal will be conducted remotely starting January 4, 2022 until further notice (December 20, 2021). This notice replaces the previously issued notice dated August 10, 2021.
As a result of the modelling for the COVID-19 Omicron variant, starting on Tuesday, January 4, 2022:
For in-custody criminal appeal, motion or application hearings, special procedures are required in order to ensure that the accused can participate in the hearing.
See the full notice for information on how to access a videoconference appeal hearing, and how to access a teleconference motion or application hearing.
All Court of Appeal COVID related notices are available on the Manitoba Courts website.
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