Superior Court of Québec: Divisional Meeting (Québec) Summer 2021

Overview

Entitled "Post-Pandemic Justice: Keeping People at the Forefront”, this online meeting allowed participants to explore a wide range of topics relevant to their field of practice, including the use of technology in the Courtroom, effective management of hearings with self-represented parties, and custody and access disputes involving allegations of spousal and domestic violence.

Objective

Over the course of the day-and-a-half training session, which involved a variety of learning styles, participants acquired new knowledge on a number of topics, as well as new skills and tools that they will be able to apply in their daily duties. They were also made aware of the social context relating to some of these topics, as well as the issue of mental health and wellness in the workplace.

Summary

This divisional meeting focused on the three pillars of judicial training: acquiring knowledge, developing skills and abilities, and developing awareness of the social context relating to a variety of legal and judicial issues. The meeting began with the theme of technology in the Courtroom, which was presented in both a historical and forward-looking perspective. Participants then had a collective discussion about the issue of self-represented litigants, with an emphasis on how to effectively manage hearings they are involved in. Other sessions were held for family law including custody and access disputes involving allegations of spousal and domestic violence, as well as expertise (and its adjunct) in custody and access matters. The last theme covered was mental health and wellness in the workplace. It involved an interactive workshop whose primary objective was to educate participants on how to identify and mobilize the personal, collective, and environmental resources that promote coping skills and wellness in the workplace.