In a previous post, I discussed British Columbia’s proposed Civil Resolution Tribunal Act. Bill 44 was introduced on May 7, 2012 and sped through the Legislature receiving Royal Assent on May 31, 2012. It provides for on-line non-facilitated and facilitated dispute resolution with the final stage being a tribunal hearing, which could take place on-line. One of the controversial aspects of the Bill is that it precludes representation by lawyers except in specific circumstances, such as where the person has impaired capacity or it is in the “interests of justice.”
It is expected that it will be at least several months before the new tribunal is up and running. The President of the Law Society of British Columbia stated in a press release that:
“While our review of the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act raised some concerns,” said Bruce LeRose, QC, president of the Society, “we hope that the participation of the legal community in the implementation working group will ensure that the promise of a voluntary dispute resolution process is fulfilled without compromising the integrity of the justice system and the rule of law.”
