British Columbia All Courts Education Seminar

Overview

The theme for this seminar was The New Era of Judging. The seminar addressed questions  relevant for all three levels of court in British Columbia: how courts can contribute to increasing access  to justice; how courts and the judiciary should engage with social media in order to contribute to  respect for the administration of justice; what challenges and opportunities artificial intelligence poses  for the judiciary; what role courts play in reconciliation with indigenous peoples in Canada; and what  issues are emerging in criminal, civil and family law. 

Objectives

The primary objective of this seminar was to explore major emerging topics relevant to all  three levels of court in British Columbia, combining doctrinal and aspirational elements and providing  judges with a concrete toolbox of take-aways.

Summary

This seminar was led by experienced local, national, and international judges, academics, and  researchers. The program began with a keynote address on what access to justice means for judges, and  then moved to explore ways in which self-represented litigants are engaging with technology, including  artificial intelligence, as they navigate the justice system. There was an artificial intelligence forecast for  the judiciary, which included a demonstration and discussion of the regulation of use of AI by the courts  
and the legal profession. There were also sessions on use of social media by judges and the courts, and  the law on the admissibility of digital evidence. The second day of the seminar focused, initially, on  reconciliation and the path forward. This included an opening keynote from an Indigenous Elder with a  message of unity and of the importance of meeting face-to-face to learn and take steps along the path  of reconciliation. This was followed by a presentation by a panel of judges exploring the initiatives their  courts have undertaken to advance reconciliation, and to offer a comparative perspective from the High  Court of New Zealand on the relationship between the courts and Maori people and on the recognition  of Tikanga (customary Maori law) in by courts in New Zealand. A panel of academics then explored the  concept of legal pluralism and how Indigenous laws may come to be considered and recognized by the  courts. The program also addressed recent cases of interest in civil, criminal, and family law. The day  ended with a session presented by members of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia on the ins and  outs of appellate review.