The Opposition is looking for an update on court closures that threw the court system into upheaval late last year.

Civil hearings, traffic hearings and Contraventions Act cases in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor and Stephenville were suddenly adjourned ‘indefinitely’ back in November.

The Port aux Basques and Baie Verte circuit courts were also suspended at that time.

Liberal Leader John Hogan says there hasn’t been an official update from government since the news first broke last fall. He raised the question in light of the provincial government’s first 100 days in office.

It’s “something we really haven’t seen before,” says Hogan referencing the closures. “It’s still not clear to me why they’ve been closed, and what the path to opening them up is.”

Working Group Hoping to Reopen Small Claims and Traffic Court Soon

A working group set up to address the sudden closure of certain provincial courts is hoping to implement solutions that could help to reopen the Small Claims and Traffic court in the near future.

Justice Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer says input from Chief Judge Robin Fowler, and representatives from the Public Service Commission, NAPE, the Department of Justice, the Office of the High Sheriff and the Director of Court Services have delivered what she calls “insightful presentations and submissions” that she hopes will help to shape “a clearer path forward.”

The minister says scheduling challenges and storm-related cancellation have forced the working group to extend its timeline to assess priority areas for immediate action.

Conway Ottenheimer says they’re now identifying improvements that can be implemented quickly, and are focused on setting “meaningful goals” to help strengthen the system.

She says the working group’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 16th at which time they will focus on “practical solutions to support the re-opening of Small Claims and Traffic Court in the very near term.”