Superior Court Chief Justice Heather Smith has been working to reduce wait times for civil motions, as recently discussed in Law Times. Certainly, the move to eliminate placeholder motions should have the effect of freeing up a little more court time for short motions. However, a wait of three to three-and-a-half months is still too long and clients can wait well over six to eight months for a long motion or application date to be available.
Although, there is always room for the court to institute reforms to improve the system, I am not sure that the next steps required with regard to short motions are for the court to impose. What we need is a shift in attitude and strategy around how lawyers approach the issues that lead to motions. That lawyers developed a habit of booking placeholder motions speaks of difficulty in the booking system, but it also speaks to something more.
View the full post on Advocate Daily and related in the Law Times
Photography by Wayne Grivell