Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Article | April 20, 2026
Judicial Independence in an Age of Political Contestation
Judicial independence is often described as a constitutional principle and a cornerstone of the Canadian legal system. At its core, it guarantees that judges decide cases based solely on fact and law, free from external influence. But at critical moments, judicial independence becomes something more tangible - contested, scrutinized, and at times, publicly misunderstood. Recent developments have brought renewed attention to the judiciary’s role within our democratic framework. These moments provide an opportunity not only to reaffirm the doctrine of judicial independence, but also to examine how it operates in practice - particularly where legal decision-making intersects with broader governmental priorities and public sentiment.
Ontario Court of Justice | April 20, 2026
Launch of Self Represented Trial Booking – Effective April 27, 2026
Effective April 27, 2026, the Self‑Represented Trial Booking Calendar will launch to streamline the scheduling of eligible self‑represented trials. These dedicated SharePoint calendars will be accessible to the Judiciary and Crown to allow eligible self‑represented trials to be booked directly in the Self-Represented Court (SRC) Courtroom 101, subject to the criteria outlined below.
Legislative Update | April 10, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of April 6
To The Moon and Back: The Artemis II mission is returning to Earth and will splash down off the coast of San Diego Friday evening. Artemis II was the first journey to the moon in more than 50 years, and paves the way to a moon landing in the near future.
Ontario Court of Justice | April 09, 2026
Ontario Court of Justice – Expanded Surety Declaration Pilot Project Protocol
Effective April 13, 2026, the Court is beginning a pilot project across ten locations that allows parties to use an “Expanded Surety Declaration” (instead of the existing Form 12 Surety Declaration). The Expanded Surety Declaration sets out more detailed information for the Court about a proposed surety and is aimed at reducing parties’ reliance on viva voce evidence from proposed sureties in bail hearings.
Court of Appeal for Ontario | March 31, 2026
Ontario Court of Appeal – Notice to the Profession and Public: Court Expectations on Single Judge Motions
The Court of Appeal has issued a Notice to the Profession and Public on the Court’s expectations on single-judge motions. The Criminal and Civil Practice Directions have been amended accordingly.
