Additionally, “precautions will be put in place by Sheriff Services, which includes enhanced COVID screening questions and temperature screening for all members of the public and court stakeholders, including counsel,upon entry to the Law Courts Building.”
Notice – COVID-19 – Update (November 2, 2020) – Explains new precautions by Sheriff Services. “will continue to hear both in custody and out of custody matters in all of the major court centres and the circuits which remain open. All existing protocols remain in force.” It will also be reassessing protocols on a weekly basis.
Due to current developments in the COVID-19 situation, the Provincial courts will not be returning to a number of communities in the near future.
Communities affected include: Brochet First Nations, Cross Lack, Norway House, Gillam, God’s Lake Narrows, God’s River, Lac Brochet, Oxford House, Peguis, Poplar River, Pukatawagan, Shamattawa, South Indian Lake , Split Lake, and Waywayseecappo.
The court will be returning to Garden Hill, Churchill, St. Martin, and Sioux Valley on the posted scheduled dates.
To address the timely release of individuals who have been arrested overnight and held in custody at police facilities anywhere in Manitoba, the Provincial Crown and Legal Aid Manitoba have implemented an overnight bail program.
Effective November 2, 2020, the Provincial Court of Manitoba has added an additional Judicial Justice of the Peace court sitting Monday through Friday at 7:00 a.m.
“The Designation of Counsel form has been amended to allow counsel to attest they have explained to the client, the obligations of the client to maintain contact with counsel and appear in court when required. When properly explained and endorsed, this will prevent the need for accused persons to attend court in person to sign the designation of counsel form.”
Counsel are reminded despite numerous changes the Pre-Trial Protocol remains in place. The jurisdiction of the Pre-Trial Coordinators are further explained. Any concerns regarding the Pre Trial Protocol should be raised with Associate Chief Judge Krahn.
Further to previous notices, the Provincial Court is notifying the profession that in communities where the court has not resumed sitting, the child protection dockets will continue to sit in the court centres for the month of October.
This includes the communities of; Steinbach, Beausejour, Pine Falls, Peguis First Nation, Emerson, Portage la Prairie, Dauphin, Bloodvein, Cross Lake, Norway House and Little Grand Rapids. Details of dockets that will be sitting in Winnipeg, and The Pas are provided.
The notice also gives instructions for when a party may be in custody and requires transportation to the courtroom. It also asks that whenever possible, for persons in custody they appear by video to avoid the need to quarantine, to reduce delays.
Following a previous notice, courts will not be re-opening in God’s Lake Narrows in October. They will also not be re-opening in Garden Hill for local reasons.
The courts will re-turn to sitting in Altona, Arborg, Ashern and Lundar, and is sitting in Easterville. There is no confirmed date for Pukatawagan.
Beginning October 1, 2020, the Provincial Court of Manitoba will hear in-custody and out of custody trials and out of custody dispositions in the communities of: Altona, Arborg, Ashern, and Lundar.
Health protocols are in effect in these areas and the courts are asking any one with symptoms to not come to court. More details and updates are included in the full notice.
Under the new Manitoba Health protocol, those that have come into contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 while in the courts will now be notified. Members of the profession will not be informed of every potential exposure in the courthouse. A reminder that masks are required at all time while in the courthouse, except, when in a courtroom, the presiding judge stipulates otherwise.
The Manitoba Law Library would like to acknowledge with gratitude that we are situated on Treaty One Territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.
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