Adjournment Digital Service Launched
Resolution and Court Administration Services is pleased to advise of the launch of Justice Digital’s Adjournment Digital Service (ADS). The initial release of this service will focus on Provincial Court Criminal Adult cases.
Under Budget 2019, the Government of Alberta allocated $38 million over the next five years to the Justice Digital initiative to create simpler, faster and more cost-effective services for Albertans, the judiciary, legal community, and other justice system users and stakeholders. This initiative is working in collaboration with the Courts and partner ministries to modernize the court and justice services.
ADS will allow defense counsel to make first appearance adjournments online for accused scheduled on a Case Management Office (CMO) docket for Provincial Court Criminal Adult cases, which will streamline our court processes and save counsel a great deal of time.
Select members of the bar have participated in the development and testing of this service since Fall 2020, and ADS was successfully launched in Red Deer and Lethbridge in April 2021. A roll out plan is now in place to allow counsel and court staff at CMO locations across the province to use the service. ADS will be brought to more locations through a phased approach to allow time for any required enhancements.
The rollout schedule is as follows:
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- June 21 — Calgary Regional (Airdrie, Okotoks, Canmore, Cochrane, Turner Valley and Didsbury)
- July 19 — Calgary, Fort McMurray
- July 26 — Medicine Hat, Wetaskiwin
- August 3 — Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Stony Plain
- August 9 — Grande Prairie
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It is encouraged that all counsel with matters scheduled at CMO locations start taking advantage of this new service immediately when the service goes live in each location as an alternative to making adjournments through the phone, email, or attending in person.
Counsel are asked to submit all initial appearance adjournments related to the following adjournment reasons via ADS:
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- Obtain counsel
- Obtain disclosure
- Consult with Crown
- Consult with client/counsel
- Accused unavailable
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Accessing the Adjournment Digital Service
Counsel can access ADS via Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari web browser. Counsel will be required to self-register and create an account. To register they will need their email address, law firm name, Bar ID and mobile phone number.
Live Demo of Adjournment Digital Service
To learn more about the ADS tool and its benefits, weekly demos have been scheduled each Friday from June to August 2021 between 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. You can access a session via the ADS Counsel Demo link at the scheduled time each week.
If you have any questions, please email Justice Adjournment Support.