It is no secret that in terms of the public's ability to
predictably have their private civil disputes tried in court, the
covid-19 pandemic was the straw that broke the camel's back.
The strain had been there for years, with delays in reaching trial
becoming increasingly common. Indeed, in my blog from late 2019, which was written
immediately pre-covid, I specifically addressed pressures on our
judicial system that were already creating delays.
Now, in February 2023, where do we stand, at least in the South West
judicial region of Ontario, where I practice?
- We have three judicial vacancies in our region which
haven't been filled. It is a lot to ask of the current
compliment of judges to handle the load on their plates without
those missing three judges.
