A. Sandhu, Legal Counsel
Suite 300 - 1055 West Hastings Street V6E 2E9 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Update from the Courts of BC April 29 (via Lexisnexis Webinar): The coronavirus pandemic has created an opportunity for an unprecedented coordinated effort by our courts (and others) to explore using new technology to move cases forward more efficiently but there have been challenges. Limitations in the courts include spacing of clerks and jurors, limits on available video equipment and bandwidths, and lack of technological resources by self-represented litigants and counsel as well. Some changes will require revising the Rules of Court for example, to proceed by written hearings which may result in positive enduring changes but will take time. In the meantime, cases are proceeding on an urgent basis, by teleconference and by zoom for the Court of Appeal. Notices to the profession available on websites.

Legal anaysis from the Provincial Court of B.C. on urgency in #familylaw https://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca//JW%20v%20CH%20-%20Reaso

Looking forward to @CLEBC #familylaw mediation training this month to help clients pursue alternate dispute resolution

Retweeted Fred Wynne (@f_wynne): BC Supreme Court upholds the BCHRT's famiy status analysis in Suen https://t.co/81GjcQtbp5

Supreme court changes guidelines for international child custody cases https://t.co/zfr8shmj51

Retweeted TLABC (@tla_bc): Are you a lawyer practising family law? Take time before Aug 31 to complete the @JusticeCanadaEN survey on #familylaw issues at https://t.co/2UKMqWrhMC - you'll help identify emerging issues & trends over time. #bclegal via @BCProvCourt

Retweeted CBC-The Current (@TheCurrentCBC): A boy from Syria soon to become Canadian, and a First Nations grandmother. They bonded over the stories of adversity each faced as young children. ... Now they're friends. On @TheCurrentCBC , how 13 year-old Basel Alrashdan came to understand Canada's residential school system. https://t.co/6rWAardne0

Retweeted John-Paul Boyd (@JP_Boyd_CRILF): I agree! From https://t.co/SoJLJql9Es: 8 Things Everyone Should Know About Marriage, According to a Divorce Lawyer https://t.co/vcIa7lGEjB

Our reliance on only one mode of dispensing justice is wholly and woefully inadequate. It is incumbent on governments to prioritize justice as a critical and essential part of the functioning of our society and ensure that the people at the heart of the system have the tools to meet the demand. Our court system must be sufficiently funded to be able to function in a modern fashion no longer reliant on paper, a bricks-and-mortar-only approach to the courthouse and a mode of interaction that requires people to be physically in the same space. https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca//access-to-justice-justice-

Dr. Bonny Henry was asked about custody cases on March 26 in the context of covid-19 and suggested that the strictest parent would be ideal. The law in this area is still the best interests of the child which includes contact with parents and loved ones but for nuanced advice in this area including what constitutes "urgent" court applications please contact for a complimentary consult: 604.620.9098.

British Columbia Supreme Court has requested all adjourn non urgent matters until after May 31, 2020. New adjournment process will be outlined shortly: https://www.bccourts.ca//BCSC_Modified_Court_Operations.pdf

Canada’s Divorce Act changes in effect July 2020 removes access & custody to parents & focuses on rights of child, adds sections on parents’ ability to relocate & has a stronger emphasis on dispute resolution #familylaw