Judging justice

Mrs. Ingram said the situation on the southwest coast is not getting any better. 

“It definitely has been getting worse, especially over the last few years,” she said.

Provincial Response

Mark Pike, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, said he is responsible for 17 circuit courts throughout the province, and he tries to maintain the best quality of service possible for the people of the province.

He said he is not aware of any complaints about the quality of service on the southwest coast.

He said without speaking to any specific case, it is not unusual for matters to be set over from month to month if a lawyer requests more time.

He said it would be up to the judge to hear both sides and decide if a delay is warranted, or if time is of the essence in issuing a peace bond.

Delays are compounded when court is not heard at all during a particular month. All first appearances were canceled in July because the circuit court was booked up with trials.

During the August sitting of Provincial Court in Port aux Basques, it appeared as if court might not be held at all on the southwest coast from December to March.

While scheduling routine matters that were being set over, the court clerk indicated that a matter could be set for October or November, and nothing else was available until April 2011.

Judge Pike said that is simply not the case.

“We’re going to have circuits down there every month. There was concern about that because of weather, but no, Judge [Jacqueline] Jenkins out of Stephenville will be looking after that,” he said.

Judge Pike added that snowstorms could delay court during the winter, as they often do everywhere in the province. He said the 2011 schedule is not yet finalized.

Judge Pike said his office is looking at using technology to make the court system faster and more reliable. He said recent amendments to the criminal code of Canada allow for more items to be heard via teleconferencing equipment, and he will be pushing to use that equipment in more situations.

The technology has already been used in Port aux Basques. In October 2009, Judge Jenkins heard a number of first appearance matters via teleconferencing equipment.

Next week –A recent change by the Provincial Justice Department means family matters will no longer be heard in Port aux Basques under provincial court judges. Find out what that will mean for residents of the southwest coast.

reporter@gulfnews.ca