The SCJ has issued a new Toronto Criminal Notice to Profession Re: CaseLines, which can be found here. There is also a Q & A document on CaseLines, which can be found here.
There will also be Information Sessions for lawyers (crown and defence) on January 19 & January 25, please see below for details on the sessions:
The Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) and Ministry of the Attorney General ( Ministry) continue to expand the use of CaseLines, a cloud-based document sharing platform for remote and in-person court proceedings. This platform supports our efforts to modernize and to reduce the number of in-person court attendances at courthouses in accordance with the recommendations of public health advisors. The Ministry and the SCJ piloted CaseLines through selected civil proceedings at the 330 University Avenue courthouse and selected family proceedings at the 361 University Avenue courthouse in Toronto. CaseLines is expanding to selected criminal proceedings at the 361 University Avenue courthouse, Toronto including pretrial motions, summary conviction appeals and applications for prerogative remedies commencing February 8, 2021 and onward.
About CaseLines
CaseLines is a cloud-based document sharing platform for remote and in-person court proceedings. It was developed by Netmaster Solutions Ltd. and is used in courts in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States.
CaseLines offers many benefits including:
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A platform where court documents of any size and file format can be uploaded;
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A function that allows users to make private notes and highlights on documents;
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An ability for users to search terms in all uploaded documents;
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An ability for users to navigate to specific documents and share their computer screen with other users and the court during a proceeding;
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A function that allows users to view uploaded documents at any time; and
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A user-friendly interface.
CaseLines does not replace the filing of court documents and it does not constitute the court record. Court documents must continue to be filed with the court office in accordance with the applicable Rules of Procedure and Notices to the Profession. However, in locations where CaseLines has been implemented, counsel will now be able to upload filed court documents to CaseLines for review by the court and for sharing by opposing counsel.
For criminal matters, CaseLines will only be used on matters where there is counsel and access will only be available to lawyers and their designated staff. Direct access to Caselines will not be available to accused persons, witnesses, etc. whether or not they are represented by counsel. Lawyers must not provide CaseLines access to their clients. Lawyers must arrange to share necessary documents with their clients using other appropriate means.
Online demonstration of CaseLines
CaseLines will be hosting online demonstrations on January 19th & January 25th 2021 for lawyers. Information about these sessions is set out below. There are 500 spaces in each webinar. A recording will be offered for those who are unable to attend. We will provide additional sessions as we implement in other regions. Criminal lawyers practicing in Toronto should prioritize attending at these sessions.
Below are the zoom details for each demonstration:
When: Jan 19, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: CaseLines Demonstration for Criminal (#1)
Please click the link below to join the webinar
Passcode: 382179
When: Jan 25, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: CaseLines Demonstration for Criminal (#2)
Please click the link below to join the webinar
Passcode: 921034