After hiring judges and staff at the Ministry of Justice, Quebec is adopting other measures with the aim of reducing legal delays.
Among other things, new powers will be granted to presiding justices of the peace with the aim of freeing judges from the Court of Quebec. Magistrate justices of the peace will now be able to handle appearances and release inquiries.
This measure should make it possible to free 15 to 20 judges from the Court of Quebec, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette said Monday during a press conference in Montreal.
Quebec also wants to think about ways to become more open to mediation and “alternative methods of settling” cases. For example, he wants to use videoconferencing more.
“We are going to set up virtual appearance centers across Quebec. To give you an example, on the weekend, that’s how it happens: you get arrested in Sherbrooke, you go to appear before a judge who is perhaps in Drummondville, with the clerk in Montreal. There, we are going to do that seven days a week, with the collaboration of the court, to ensure that the roles are optimized,” explained Minister Jolin-Barrette.