Further Adjourning Criminal Matters (May 5, 2020)

SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE

CANADA                                                          )        THE 5 th 
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO                               )        DAY OF MAY, 2020

 BY ORDER OF CHIEF JUSTICE GEOFFREY MORAWETZ

The Order of March 15, 2020 appended to this Order is further extended as follows:

Due to the ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID 19, any accused person who had or has a criminal matter scheduled for any type of appearance in any court in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice between March 17 and July 3, 2020 shall be adjourned as follows, unless the court orders otherwise:

  1. Matters originally scheduled for appearances in March, 2020 (after March 17) that had been adjourned to June 2, 2020 are further adjourned to July 6,
    • Accused persons subject to this Order must now appear in this Court on July 6, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the court location at which they were to appear in March 2020,
    • the bench warrant with discretion (s. 597(4)) issued to return on June 2, 2020, is hereby extended to July 6, 2020,
    • if the person fails to appear in this Court on July 6, 2020, a warrant will be issued for their arrest, and
    • the bench warrant with discretion is extended as of the date the person is scheduled to appear, pursuant to s. 597 (4) of the Criminal Code.
  2. Matters originally scheduled in April 2020 that had been adjourned to June 3, 2020 are further adjourned to July 7,
    • Accused persons subject to this Order must now appear in this Court on July 7, 2020 at 10:00 m. at the court location at which they were to appear in April 2020,
    • the bench warrant with discretion (s. 597(4)) issued to return on June 3, 2020 is hereby extended to July 7, 2020,
    • if the person fails to appear in this Court on July 7, 2020, a warrant will be issued for their arrest, and
    • the bench warrant with discretion is extended as of the date the person is scheduled to appear, pursuant to s. 597 (4) of the Criminal Code.
  3. Matters originally scheduled in May 2020 that had been adjourned to June 4, 2020 are further adjourned to July 8,
    • Accused persons subject to this Order must now appear in this Court on July 8, 2020 at 10:00 m. at the court location at which they were to appear in May 2020,
    • the bench warrant with discretion (s. 597(4)) issued to return on June 4, 2020 is hereby extended to July 8, 2020,
    • if the person fails to appear in this Court on July 8, 2020, a warrant will be issued for their arrest, and
    • the bench warrant with discretion is extended as of the date the person is scheduled to appear, pursuant to s. 597 (4) of the Criminal Code.
  4. Accused persons with matters scheduled in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in the month of June 2020 and on July 2 and 3, 2020 must now appear in this Court on July 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the court location at which they were to appear in June,
    • A bench warrant with discretion (s. 597(4)) is issued as of the date in June on which the person was scheduled to appear,
    • if the person fails to appear in this Court on July 9, 2020, a warrant will be issued for their arrest, and
    • the bench warrant with discretion is issued as of the date the person is scheduled to appear, pursuant to s. 597 (4) of the Criminal Code.
  5. Persons scheduled to appear in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on July 6, 7, 8 and 9 should do so as scheduled.
  6. This Order extends, as necessary, all warrants of remand for accused persons in custody to whom the Order applies.
  7. At a future date, Notice will be given of an orderly process for the re-booking of trial and motions dates affected by this Notice and that of March 15, 2020.

DATED at Toronto, this 5th day of May 2020.

__________________________

Geoffrey Morawetz, Chief Justice
Ontario Superior Court of Justice