Anyone with Provincial Offences Act, family or criminal court appearance in the Ontario Court of Justice does not need to attend court, unless the matter is an in-custody or urgent criminal matter or an urgent family matter.
The court is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, criminal matters involving accused persons who are in custody (including bail matters) that are ready to proceed are able to proceed.
- Wherever possible, the court will make full use of video and audio technology to effectively address criminal matters involving accused persons who are in custody.
- However, those who are not in custody and have a criminal court appearance in the Ontario Court of Justice between Monday, March 16 and Friday, April 3 do not need to attend court.
- If they do not attend court, their matter will be adjourned to another court date 10 weeks from the date of their scheduled appearance.
- The court will adjourn the matter without the accused being present, using a court order called a “bench warrant with discretion” which will require the accused to attend court on the new date.
- If the matter is urgent, the accused or their counsel may choose to come to court and speak to their matter.
- If their criminal court appearance is after April 3, 2020, check the Ontario Court of Justice website for updated information.
If people have questions, they are asked to contact your local courthouse. Contact information for all courts in Ontario is available on the Ministry of the Attorney General website.
Family courts remain open and urgent family matters will proceed on a prioritized basis. These matters include:
- Child, Youth and Family Services Act: place of safety hearings (s. 90); temporary care and custody hearings (s. 94), restraining orders (s. 137), status review hearings (s. 113), and secure treatment orders (s. 161);
- Domestic matters: urgent custody/access motions; motions for restraining orders; Hague applications and non-Hague abduction cases; and
- Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act: refraining motions (s.35).
- The Family Law Rules permit conferences and/or motions to be heard by telephone and/or video conferencing. Where necessary and/or appropriate, these matters can be heard using one of these methods.
- All non-urgent matters, including trials, will be adjourned for eight to 12 weeks. Anyone with a non-urgent family matter does not need to attend court. Adjournment requests can be made to the local trial co-ordinator’s office, preferably by 17F confirmation forms forwarded to a fax number or by telephone.
- Contact information for all courts in Ontario is available on the Ministry of the Attorney General website.
Provincial Offences Act matters (e.g. traffic tickets)
- Provincial Offences Act matters scheduled from Monday, March 16, 2020 through and including and Friday, April 3, 2020 will be adjourned without the accused being present and rescheduled to a later date. If anyone has a matter scheduled during this time, they do not need to attend.
- A notice of the new court date will be sent by mail to the address on file with the court. For more information, contact your local Provincial Offences court. Contact information for all municipal courts is available here.
