Court of Appeal Post-Town Hall Survey; Alberta Land Titles Office Ownership and Mailing Address Change Delays; Court Notice and Announcements; Volunteer Opportunity for Students-at-Law

May 24, 2022

Court of Appeal Post-Town Hall Presentation to the Bar Survey

The Court of Appeal would like to thank those who attended their townhall presentation to the bar on May 18, 2022. They hope you enjoyed it and felt it was beneficial.

The Court of Appeal would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to fill out their survey. Your feedback is much appreciated. The survey is open to all members of the bar and members of the public and is estimated to take about nine minutes to complete.

The survey will close at midnight MT Thursday, May 26, 2022.

Take the Survey

Alberta Land Titles Office Ownership and Mailing Address Change Delays

The City of Calgary has requested we inform lawyers of a potential issue real estate clients may face with their property tax bills. Lawyers assisting clients with Land Titles registrations should make sure their clients are aware of this issue.

The Alberta Land Titles Office is experiencing delays in registering Transfers of Land and changes to mailing addresses. Property tax bills are mailed in late May and delayed registration will result in new property owners not receiving their bill. Property owners who have not received their property tax bill by the first week of June must call 311 to obtain an up-to-date statement of account.

The City is not responsible for delays. To avoid late payment penalties, property owners need to ensure their property tax is paid before June 30.

Learn more on the City of Calgary's website.

Court Announcements

Notice to Profession and Public Update from Alberta Courts

Restricted Access to Courtrooms

Effective May 24, 2022, social distancing requirements and related capacity limits due to COVID‑19 will be rescinded in some courtrooms in Alberta. While social distancing in those courtrooms will no longer be required, it is, nevertheless, still encouraged. We stress that social distancing and capacity limits remain in effect in all Provincial Court courtrooms until further notice.

All restrictions in relation to masking, vaccination policies and the current use of Plexiglass remain in effect until further notice. Read more.

Court of Queen's Bench

New Court Information Access Guide for Alberta

The Court of Appeal of Alberta, Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, and Provincial Court of Alberta, have released a new Court Information Access Guide for Alberta (CIAGA).

The CIAGA replaces the former Alberta Courts Public and Media Access Guide and applies to all proceedings in the Alberta Courts. Lawyers, members of the public, and media wanting to access court information should familiarize themselves with the new CIAGA. Read this full announcement or read this Provincial Court announcement for more information.

Launch of the Surrogate Digital Service

Effective June 15, 2022, Alberta lawyers will be able to file applications for certain types of grants in surrogate matters using the online Surrogate Digital Service (SDS). An instruction page for the use of SDS, including a list of key dates for counsel, is now available here.

Jury Selections Proof of Vaccination

As of May 19, 2022, individuals who receive a summons to attend for jury selection at the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta no longer need to produce an Alberta-issued COVID-19 vaccine record.

Online Gladue Report Request

Pilot Project in Edmonton: The Alberta courts are piloting a system for completing Gladue Report Request forms through an online portal. Between May 24 and June 30, 2022, lawyers practicing in Edmonton are encouraged to file Gladue Report Request forms for cases that are before either the Provincial Court or the Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton via this online portal. The Gladue Report Request form is available on the Courts' website. More information can be found in the full announcement.

Provincial Court

Chateh Court Closure, May 23-27, 2022

The Chateh courthouse is closed from Monday, May 23 until Friday, May 27, 2022. Anyone who has Chateh matters scheduled must call the High Level Courthouse for information 780.926.3715.

Court of Appeal

Opinion In Reference RE: Impact Assessment Act

View the document here.

Volunteer Opportunity for Students-at-Law

The Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC) has volunteer openings for students-at-law interested in getting hands-on legal experience.

The ECLC has been offering free legal advice clinics to low-income individuals for 20 years, and the need has never been greater. Students-at-law can volunteer to provide advice with the permission of their principal. ECLC provides shadowing and training opportunities.

Role: Meet with clients by telephone or in-person and provide summary legal advice on family, civil or immigration matters.
Commitment: Weekly, biweekly or monthly for two to three hours per shift. Flexible day and evening times available for remote appointments.
How to sign up: Visit their website or email Ruth Thangiah, Communications and Lawyer Engagement Coordinator.

Upcoming Events

Visit our website for a full list of upcoming events.

Events Calendar