Provincial Court resumes all in-person trials

EDMONTON, Alberta, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Courthouses across the province will be resuming all in-person trials starting Tuesday.

Effective February 22, 2022, the Provincial Court of Alberta will remove restrictions on out-of-custody trials, preliminary inquiries and other hearings put in place in January, 2022 as a result of the rapid spread of the omicron variant. These matters will now proceed as scheduled.

"We're always mindful of the impact that these kinds of restrictions can have on those who are having to navigate our justice system, and we never bring in these restrictions lightly," Chief Judge Derek Redman said. "Throughout these past six weeks of restrictions, the courts have continued to hear all in-custody matters as well as all urgent matters, and we have expanded the use of virtual courtrooms for cases that could be handled remotely."

COVID-19 precautions will continue to remain in effect, including:

• Social distancing rules
• Limited capacity within courtrooms and courthouses
• Plexiglas barriers within courtrooms
• Enhanced cleaning
• Mandatory facemasks as per court directive
  

Please visit https://albertacourts.ca/pc/resources/covid for complete information on the various measures the Provincial Court is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Provincial Court of Alberta is the busiest court in Alberta, with 95 per cent of all matters beginning and ending at the Provincial Court level. Every year, more than 500,000 people interact with the Provincial Court of Alberta in some way, either as a witness, as a lawyer, as a defendant, or as a plaintiff. For most Albertans, the Provincial Court is a primary point of contact with the justice system.

For more information, contact:

Olav Rokne
Senior Communication Advisor
Provincial Court of Alberta
[email protected]
780-203-3490