Courts across Canada have closed and nearly everything before
them has been adjourned sine die (indefinitely). Only
urgent matters can be brought before a judge. Commendably, some
courts are now implementing email filing and exploring holding
hearings by video or teleconference. But when our courts re-open,
they will almost certainly prioritize criminal cases, because of
the constitutional obligation to resolve criminal cases within a
reasonable period of time.
Most commercial matters are not urgent enough to jump to the
front of the courthouse queue in these circumstances, but that does
not mean that parties can afford to wait until the courts have time
to deal with them. Even in commercial matters, justice delayed is
justice denied.
