Pilot Project: Settlement Conference Short Notice List

In an effort to better use Court resources and increase access to justice, the Family Division of the Supreme Court in St. John’s is piloting a voluntary Short Notice List to fill gaps in the present Settlement Conference List when they occasionally arise. The standard practice of seeking permission to be placed on the Settlement Conference List will continue, with the Short Notice List operating concurrently as in a supplemental manner.

In order for parties to be placed on the Short Notice List, they must first obtain approval to be placed on the General Settlement Conference List. Requests to be placed on the Short Notice List can be made either concurrently with a request to be placed on the General List, or after a request has been made, using the Settlement Conference Short Notice List Request Form.

Placement on the Short Notice List requires the consent of all parties to the proceeding, as well as compliance with the requirements listed on the Request Form itself. All parties to the matter must file their settlement conference briefs within thirty (30) days of either filing the Request Form (where the matter was already on the General Settlement Conference List) or being granted permission to be placed on the General List (where permission had not previously been granted).

Should any party not file their settlement conference brief within 30 days as required, the matter will not be placed on the Short Notice List.

When a matter is placed on the Short Notice List, parties may be contacted to “fill gaps” in the Court schedule where they unexpectedly arise. Should a party be unavailable at the proposed dates, then their matter will move to the bottom of the Short Notice List, without affecting the matter’s placement on the General List.

As stated, this is a pilot initiative of the Family Division in St. John’s. It will not be available in other judicial centres at this time. It is hoped that the project will prove beneficial to the public and the administration of family justice as a whole.

RAYMOND P. WHALEN
Chief Justice

Read the full notice here.

Posted: December 12, 2023