An earlier notice indicated that the Provincial Court would be returning to a number of communities by May 1st. Due to ongoing health and safety concerns, the court will not be returning to those communities. No future dates have been given.
This notices extends the assessment of the pilot project meant to address the timely release of individuals who have been arrested overnight and held in custody. This follows up on the previous notice, noting that the project will continue to be evaluated until September 3, 2021.
The provincial court is continuing to return to sittings in most circuits. This notice provides a detailed list of resumptions for the months of April and May. An overview of these changes is provided as such:
“As of April 1, 2021:
All criminal trials set in the six major Court centres (Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Brandon, Dauphin, The Pas, Thompson) will proceed as scheduled.
All dispositions where the person is in custody or a custodial disposition is being sought will proceed.
All dispositions where a non-custodial sentence is being sought can proceed, if the parties are able to attend remotely.
All dockets containing matters which are not yet set for disposition or trial will proceed virtually. Accused persons should not attend these dockets in person.
All circuit court trials and up to five in-person dispositions at each circuit court sitting can proceed. Additional dispositions can proceed on circuit if the accused person can appear remotely at the court sitting.
We will not be returning to the following communities in April and dockets will continue to be held virtually. The communities are Cross Lake, Garden Hill, God’s Lake, Lac Brochet, Nelson House, Oxford House, Pukatawagan, Split Lake and Waywayseecappo.
As of May 1, 2021:
We plan to return to sittings in Cross Lake, Garden Hill, God’s Lake, Lac Brochet, Nelson House and Waywayseecappo in May 2021, but these communities will be subject of a later notice as we assess on an ongoing basis the public health situation in those communities.
Further suspension in April and May 2021:
We do not expect to be able to return to Oxford House, Pukatawagan and Split Lake in April and May 2021.”
Member’s of the public who want to attend a virtual conference held by video or telephone may do so by following the protocols and procedures listed in the notice.
In a continuing effort to reduce infection rates as well as the number of people needed to attend court, Thompson Court Centre has instituted new protocols for accused persons appearing for their first time in court.
“Commencing March 1, 2021 accused making their first appearance will appear in court via teleconference from the interview room or holding cells in Thompson Court building and will be brought into the Courtroom for a personal appearance only if so ordered by the presiding Judge.”
To continue the preventative measures to protect the health and safety of all court users to help contain the spread of COVID-19, beginning February 1, 2021 counsel will not be permitted to attend Assignment Court in person, unless paged to do so by the presiding judge.
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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