Category Archives: Electronic Trials

Evidence on E-Trials: Are they worth it?

Evidence on E-trials is still limited, but here are some numbers that support that E-Trials save time and money. E-Trials Save Time – The evidence suggests that E-Trials drop court days by about 20%. In Southwind v. Canada, counsel estimated 100 court days for the trial, but the E-Trial used only 72 days. In 2013, […]

Consent Orders for E-Trial get E-Trial into Court

The parties to Saugeen Ojibway Nation v. AG Canada et al (“SON”) (ONSC Court File Nos. 94-CQ-50872CM and 03-CV-261134CM1) signed but did not file two orders for E-trial which included an E-Trial Plan and a consent order for the two services providers (i.e., for the E-Trial Platform and for Realtime Reporting). The consent orders for […]

E-Hearings for Chambers Applications

E-Hearings are underway for lengthy chambers applications in The Nuchatlaht v. BC [VA 17-0606] before Justice Myers of the British Columbia Supreme Court. The Plaintiffs elected to argue their portion of three applications using the E-Trial platform, Caselines. This is the first time Caselines has been used in Canada for chambers applications. In their Claim, […]

Cowichan Tribes E-Trial well underway in Victoria

The Cowichan Tribes E-Trial entered its fourth week of evidence this week. Justice Young has heard the Plaintiffs’ opening statement and testimony from the first three witnesses. The court is now hearing evidence from the Plaintiffs’ fourth witness. As of October 1, 2019 – Day 16 of Trial – 38 exhibits have been presented to […]

E-Trial Consent Order Filed with BCSC

The Parties to Cowichan Tribes et al. v. Canada et al. (Victoria File No. 14 1027) filed an E-Trial Consent Order with the British Columbia Supreme Court in July, in preparation for their trial set to begin September 9, 2019. The E-Trial Consent Order builds on the orders filed at the Federal Court of Canada for Southwind and Jim Shot Both Sides in […]

iPad E-Trials in Ontario

iPad E-trials are happening in Ontario courts. Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. v Schad, 2016 ONSC 2297 was a four-week E-Trial heard between November 23 – December 23, 2015, regarding alleged misuse of confidential information in the process of manufacturing. The Reasons for Judgment allude to “the fact that the trial was entirely electronically run […]

Hutchison E-Trial in Vancouver’s Courtroom 67

The Hutchison E-Trial is set to begin July 2 in Vancouver’s Courtroom 67. Courtroom 67 is one of the city’s high-technology courtrooms: it was built to accommodate a high-profile criminal case in 2012. The Hutchison E-Trial heard evidence in Victoria before Justice Dev Dley from April 15 – May 28, 2019. Justice Dev Dley ordered […]

E-Hearings on the Federal Court of Canada’s Radar

E-Hearings were on the agenda at the Federal Court of Canada’s Aboriginal Law Liaison Committee’s June meeting. The Committee focussed on what we can learn from E-Trials already underway, what we can do better, and specific concerns in the Aboriginal Law context. I was grateful to be asked to present to the Committee on these […]