Practice Directions

Criminal Court Practice Directions: Practice directions issued pursuant to Rule 5.1 of the Criminal Rules of the Ontario Court of Justice will be posted as they are issued.

Provincewide

• Practice Direction: Trial Dates (1999)
• Provincial Practice Direction regarding Time Limits for Oral Arguments on s.11(b) Charter Applications in Criminal Proceedings (July 2019)
• Practice Direction: Serving and Filing Criminal Court Documents (December 2022)

Policies

• Notice regarding Application of Bill C-75 Amendments to ss. 535 and 536 of the Criminal Code (Preliminary Inquiries and Elections as to Mode of Trial) (Revoked February 2020)
• Direction for Scheduling Special Bail Hearing Courts (January 2020)
• Court Services Division Policies and Procedures on Public Access to Court Files, Documents and Exhibits (November 2015)
• Judicial Criminal Pre-trial Best Practices, PDF (September 2015)
• Policy Regarding Access to Digital Audio Recordings (April 2013)
  • Undertaking of Counsel/Licensed Paralegal of Record to the Court for Access to Digital Court Recordings/Request Form: Word, PDF
  • Undertaking to the Court for Access to Digital Court Recordings/Request Form: Word, PDF (Revised June 2018)
• Protocol Regarding the Use of Electronic Communication Devices in Court Proceedings (March 2013)

Local Courthouse Protocols

Many individual courthouses have protocols that are applicable to that court alone.  These protocols cover many subjects such as any special arrangements for those appearing in court for the first time, or the process for obtaining a judicial pre-trial.  Contact the local courthouse directly to find out more about local courthouse protocols.

• • Toronto Region