News & Announcements

It has been determined that it is possible to proceed with all matters currently scheduled in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta for the weeks of January 18 and January 25, 2021. Counsel and parties are advised to be aware of the following, in respect of hearings scheduled for those weeks.

The Alberta Debtor Support Project ramps up existing pro bono legal resources, and also offers two new resources to assist Albertans struggling with debt. The Project website provides an overview of the resources available and offers a portal for lawyers, both active and retired, to volunteer to assist Albertans dealing with debt. Volunteers will receive detailed online training to meet the expected increased demand for assistance. The project hopes to partner with additional Approved Legal Service Providers throughout Alberta to encourage and train their volunteers. For more information, please refer to the full announcement.

A profile on The Honourable Justice Alice Woolley, Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.

Retirement Profile of the Honourable Justice Juliana Topolniski

In response to the State of Public Health Emergency declared by the Government on November 24, 2020, the increase in active COVID-19 cases in the Province of Alberta, and the current and anticipated numbers of legal system participants, including Court staff, who may be unable to participate for COVID-19 related reasons, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta is announcing the following modifications to its schedule for the week of January 4 and 11, 2021. Further announcements in respect of the subsequent weeks may follow.

The Spring term availability for Judicial Dispute Resolution in Calgary and Edmonton has now been posted. It can be found under Scheduling > Judicial Dispute Resolution. Please note: No bookings will be permitted until 7:30 am on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Please see the full announcement for additional information.

It is now possible for counsel to file all materials in Civil and Family proceedings electronically, via email. However, in some locations, up to 50% of the materials received by the Court have been filed with the clerk, at the counter, on paper. For the time being, while the public health crisis persists, it is in the interests of public health – and in the interests of the health of Court staff as well as counsel, court runners, and any other individuals who may be required to file materials – that personal attendance at courthouses and filing queues be avoided. To that end, the Court is mandating that any material filed by counsel, in any civil or family proceeding, must be filed electronically, via email, per the directions set out in the December 11, 2020 Announcement from RCAS.

The Court of Queen's Bench Clerk's Office will be closed for Christmas Closure on December 24, 2020 and through January 3, 2021, inclusive. For more information, please refer to the full announcement.

Effective immediately and until January 4, 2021, due to staffing shortages, the Edmonton Review Office will be closed for administrative inquiries (i.e. in-person/telephone/email inquiries and new bookings). All previously scheduled hearings with the Edmonton Review Officer will proceed during this time. If you wish to adjourn or cancel an upcoming hearing that is already scheduled, please email Dennis.Pawlowski@albertacourts.ca.

UPDATED Announcement : A designated naming convention must be followed for all emails sent to the Court of Queen’s Bench which contain documents for filing. If the naming convention as outlined is not followed, your documents will be sent back to you unfiled, advising you did not use the proper naming convention for the covering email. For full filing details, including specific naming conventions and examples, please refer to the full announcement.