The COVID-19 pandemic has required courts to adapt to new ways
of providing access to justice. We have first-hand experience with
this new reality.
We started what was intended to be a four-week patent trial in
the Federal Court on March 9, 2020. While the COVID situation was
unfolding in real-time, our trial was otherwise proceeding
normally. The first week went slightly faster than expected, and we
finished the first week of evidence by Thursday around noon. At the
end of the court day on Thursday, our hope was to continue
in-person the following week. However, by noon on the following
day, all parties and the court had concluded that the hearing would
have to be adjourned because of the pandemic.
