Family lawyers call out for virtual court appearances
There’s a call for more virtual court appearances from family lawyers in the north who say they're more efficient and cost-effective.
The call comes in response to Ontario Superior Court guidelines emphasizing in-person court dates, but the north is prioritizing zoom divorces.
Virtual court appearances have been the norm the past two years, though provincial courts are now starting to phase-in more face-to-face court dates.
Family lawyers have been concerned with the Ontario Superior Court's recent guidelines, stressing the importance of in-person hearings. They said virtual hearings have been better for clients and should be the default.
"I'm moving my cases faster in the last two years, and I'm resolving them faster as things are settling faster. We do mediations virtually, court conferences virtually, arbitrations virtually, hearings virtually," said family lawyer Peter Doucet.
"We are not sitting in court waiting for our matters to be heard. We are here at our desks waiting for our turn, where we can do other work and it saves the clients a lot of money that way," said family lawyer Lisa Barazzutti.
Doucet and Barazzutti said the greatest savings come with reduced travel time.
"Imagine a client having to pay me to get into my fancy car and drive five hours, back-and-forth, to Hearst, for a one hour motion or a one hour conference. Insane," said Doucet.
The lawyers said the northeast was able to pivot more quickly to telephone and video conferencing given its geography. And, each region in the province has its own particular guidelines for court matters, aside from general provincial directives.
For northeastern Ontario, court proceedings are virtual by default, except for trials, settlements and more complex matters. They can also be virtual, if needed.
Barazzutti said face-to-face does have its benefits.
"It's always good to see litigants in-person. If you're a judge, let's say, assess credibility issues."
Doucet said many judges he works with are sympathetic to the headaches of in-person court. Having operated his practice virtually for years, he suspects a major shift.
"Courts are going to realize that we were much more efficient, were much more effective, and were much more cost-effective."
One of the tenets of family law, Doucet said, is to prioritize remote work and low client costs. And, like superior court said, it will always offer hybrid options.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.