Ontario Court of Justice - North East Region

  • February 17, 2021

For the latest information from the Courts and MAG, including the latest courthouse COVID-19 updates, visit the OBA Courts Reopening page

OCJ Notice to the Profession re: Provincial Offences Act Matters

The OCJ has issued a new Notice to the Counsel/Paralegals and the Public regarding Provincial Offences Act matters. All in-person appearances that are scheduled in municipally-administered Provincial Offences courts and Provincial Offences Act appeals before Justices of the OCJ will be adjourned until January 22, 2021. Until this time, OCJ locations will continue to hear matters remotely in accordance with the new Notice. For more information, please see here.

OCJ Judicial Appointments 

Attorney General Doug Downey has announced the appointment of five new justices to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective October 22, 2020. Justice Cidalia Conceição Gouveia Faria; Justice Peter N. Fraser; Justice Derek Ishak; Justice Jennifer Deanna Strasberg; and Justice Lori Anne Thomas have all been assigned to Toronto by OCJ Chief Justice Lise Maisonneuve. For more information.

OCJ Update on First Appearance Court and First Court Dates in Family Proceedings

The OCJ has issued a new Notice to the Profession and the Public regarding family proceedings. First Appearance Court/First Court Dates scheduled to proceed before a clerk will be waived between September 28, 2020 and November 27, 2020. Parties will be required to electronically submit a waiver form. First Appearance Court/First Court Dates scheduled to proceed before a judge will resume beginning on September 28, 2020.

OCJ (Criminal Matters): Sept 17 Update

The OCJ has announced that virtual criminal case management courts will begin on September 21, 2020 in the following locations: 11 Jarvis (Toronto); Belleville; Bracebridge; Brampton; Cobourg; Cochrane; College Park (Toronto); Dryden; Fort Frances; Gore Bay; Haileybury; Hamilton; Kenora; Kingston; Napanee; Newmarket; Old City Hall (Toronto); Orillia; Owen Sound; and Walkerton.

OCJ Resumption of In-Person Criminal Hearings at Select Courthouses

The OCJ issued a new Notice to the Profession and the Public regarding the resumption of in-person criminal hearings in certain locations. Preliminary inquiries and in-person criminal trials in Gore Bay, Orillia, and Woodstock that were delayed by the September 11th Notice to the Profession and the Public will now begin resuming on September 16, 2020.

OCJ Notice to the Profession Regarding Resumption of In-Person Family Law Matters

The OCJ issued a new Notice to the Profession and the Public related to the resumption of in-person family matters proceedings at certain OCJ courthouses. The Ministry of the Attorney General has advised that it is not satisfied with the health and safety measures in place to allow in-person family matters proceedings to resume on September 14, 2020 in Stratford and Woodstock.