Editorial
The judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and staff members who operate the province's court system have every right to be proud of the way fair and even justice is dispensed across Alberta on a day-to-day basis.
Yet as some victims, witnesses and accused persons continue to see long delays in having their cases move through the courts, there is obviously still room for improvement.
For example, in the Didsbury provincial court last week, trial dates were being set into March 2014 – meaning everyone involved in those cases will have to wait at least eight months before getting their day in court.
And that's on top of the time already spent just getting to the trial date setting stage.
The provincial government announced last week that it is working hard to reduce court delays and has recently made “significant progress” in eliminating and reducing roadblocks in the court system.
“We are committed to making changes to the justice system and those changes are paying off,” said Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Jonathan Denis.
“I'm very pleased with the progress made so far to ensure those charged with serious and violent offences have their cases heard in court. Assistant Deputy Minister Greg Lepp has my full support to continue making these necessary changes.”
In recent months the province has made a number of changes to the court system aimed at increasing efficiency and accessibility.
Those efforts include a marked increase in the use of direct indictments, which allow for the bypassing of preliminary hearings, sending cases directly to Queen's Bench trials.
That, in turn, has reduced the workload at the provincial court level, freeing up staff and helping move other cases through those courts in a more timely fashion, said Denis.
The province has also expanded the use of court case management, which in some instances allows cases to be diverted entirely from the courtroom. (The Didsbury provincial court is actually one of the courts where case management has been expanded).
“Alberta's Prosecution Service is committed to implementing actions and solutions,” said Assistant Deputy Minister of Criminal Justice Lepp. “The work does not end here, there are still significant actions we will take to further our success.”
The court system is one of this province's vital public services, ensuring that people victimized by crime can receive justice and move on with their lives.
As such, the Redford government should be applauded for its recent efforts to eliminate undue delays in the court system – and should be encouraged to seek out further improvements.
