Emergency / Urgent Hearing Requests For Family Law Matters

Many changes due to COVID-19 has left many wondering how their family law-related matters are affected. The Alberta Courts have answered many questions in their FAQ section such as “When is a matter considered an emergency, or urgent?“ and “How can I get my Consent Order reviewed and signed by a Justice or Master?”

The Courts have also clearly defined what is considered “urgent”:

Matters of Highest Priority Requiring Immediate Attention (as of March 23, 2020):

Emergency matters, in which serious consequences to persons or harm to property may arise if the hearing does not proceed, or if there is a risk of loss of jurisdiction or expiration of an existing protection or restraining order, including, but not limited to:

Family Matters:

• Orders where there is a risk of violence or immediate harm to one of the parties or a child.
• Orders where there is a risk of removal of a child from the jurisdiction.
• Emergency Protection Order reviews.

If you are still unclear if your matter is urgent, or what technological supports are in place to unsure that your matter is properly heard, please contact Corinne at corinne@rotheckerlaw.ca.

May 1 Written By Corinne Rothecker