COVID-19 and military justice (Canada)

The following pop-up notice has appeared on the website of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada:

Court operations in light of COVID-19

In light of the evolving situation with regard to the spread of COVID-19, public health officials have advised members of the public to restrict their movements as much as possible, including travel to and from work. Court employees, like all employees of the federal government, have been asked to telework where possible and Court managers have been asked to focus their efforts on ensuring continued critical operations.

Until further notice, Registry operations will continue with significantly reduced staff, both in Ottawa and in regional offices. Staff will be available to receive court filings at any of the Court’s registry offices but parties and the public should expect a significantly decreased level of service.

The Court remains available to deal with urgent matters in writing or by teleconference.

All filing deadlines continue to apply. Parties will be able to request an extension of time for deadlines if they are unable to meet the filing deadlines in light of current circumstances but are asked to do so once Court operations return to normal.

The Court will continue to monitor the situation with a view to restoring all Court operations to their full capacity as soon as the circumstances allow.

The Court appreciates the patience and understanding of parties and their counsel at this challenging time.