COVID-19 EFFECTS – Some crimes are up but overall crime is down.
FINGERPRINTS IN YORK REGION – News as of April 2/20
We are directed: “Anyone with an existing fingerprint date at the courthouse is still not required to attend. With respect to new matters fingerprints are being taken at 2 District and not at the courthouse.”
COURTS SHUT DOWN AND TRY TO ADAPT. A TSUNAMI OF CASES IS COMING.
“Courts across the country have reduced their services to hearings on urgent and emergency matters. Nothing’s really normal right now. many fear that the bottleneck being created by pandemic-driven postponements and cancellations will have a cascade effect on an already overburdened system, leaving lawyers and judges with an unworkable quagmire once courthouses themselves return to full service.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stefanovich-covid19-exposes-court-shortcomings-1.5502077
PRISON MANAGEMENT AND PRISONER RELEASE
In Canada, 1,000 inmates in the state of Ontario were released last week and lawyers are working with prosecutors to free many more from provincial jails by accelerating bail hearings, among other steps.
There are silver linings.
A PHYSICAL or VIRTUAL COURT? – The accused is entitled and required to be in court during the trial. Perhaps we have to redefine our definition of “court”.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY
Lawyers, Legal and Justice System Professional services are essential businesses.
(Just like the LCBO. And the OCS.)