Resuming Court Operations: Ministry’s Precautionary Measures

The Ministry of the Attorney General has released a very detailed guidebook called “COVID-19 Recommended Precautionary Measures – Resuming Court Operations”. The topics covered in the guidebook include:

• Preparing the court environment, including enhanced cleaning protocols, plexiglass barriers, physical distancing, and the use of face coverings
• Attendance at the courthouse, including screening for COVID-19
• Courtroom configuration and handling documents and exhibits

People will be required to complete a screening protocol before entering courthouses.

Counsel and the public will be required to wear face coverings in the courthouses, except when making submissions or testifying and other limited circumstances.

Counsel will be responsible to clean counsel tables and podiums/lecterns before and after using them.

Cafeterias in the courthouses will initially remain closed.