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Court Appearances in Ontario: Conferences, Motions, and Trials

Conferences


Conferences offer the concerned parties valuable opportunities to resolve disputes amicably. The primary objective is to reach a mutually acceptable solution. Typically, a case conference will be the initial hearing you attend. Generally, parties are required to participate in three different types of conferences before proceeding to trial


  • Case Conference: A meeting where a judge convenes with the parties or their attorneys to pinpoint contentious points and swiftly investigate possible solutions.


  • Settlement Conference: A hearing called by a judge to identify matters that are amenable to settlement, establish mutually accepted facts, and choose which evidence to use in cases that remain unresolved.


  • Trial Management Conference: A scheduled meeting to evaluate settlement options and expedite trial proceedings between the court, the parties, and their representatives.


Motions

In order to get orders while awaiting trial, motions require hearings before a judge. It is possible to ask for a variety of interim orders, including ones pertaining to information disclosure, child support, access, or custody. A case conference is required under the Family Law Rules prior to the filing of a motion. All parties, including counsel for other planned cases, are permitted to attend these open court meetings.


Dispute Resolution Conferences

In some jurisdictions, if the goal of a court case is to modify a prior order, attendance at a dispute resolution conference may be mandatory. These conferences are similar to case conferences but are conducted by a senior family law lawyer serving as a dispute resolution officer.

  

Trials

Hearings and trials are normally public events. Following the trial, the judge renders an oral ruling in the courtroom. The written version, called a "endorsement," provides a summary of the judge's ruling along with its justification. A judge's decision is only effective when it is first rendered; it does not need to be formalized into a court order.


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