Canadian courts acted promptly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in doing so, rapidly adapted polices and procedures to ensure the safety of the public and all parties involved in the court of law. Many of these rapid transitions were met with increased challenges within the justice system. Researchers at Saint Mary’s University are interested in learning about how these transitions have impacted Nova Scotia courts and access to justice.
Drs. Meg Ternes and Veronica Stinson are leading a project designed to examine the potential barriers and/or benefits of pandemic related changes to Nova Scotia’s justice system. The objectives of the study are to understand, from the point of view of legal professionals and other stakeholders, how the implementation of public health measures have influenced access to justice. Another goal is to explore how pandemic-related health measures affected people’s experiences in Nova Scotia Courts.
CBA-NS members are invited to share their opinions on the impact of COVID-19 public health measures on Nova Scotia’s justice system in an anonymous online survey. The results should contribute to a better understanding of unique pandemic-related barriers to the access of justice. The results are intended be useful to policy makers, stakeholders, and both the legal and scientific communities.
The findings will be disseminated via papers, seminars, conferences, and student theses. A summary of the results will be available in August 2022, at smu.ca/fgsr/summaries-of-completed-research.
Click here to participate in the study.