In May of this year, I provided an update on the use of various technology, including Calendly, in Ontario courthouses. Calendly is a cloud-based scheduling tool that allows counsel and parties to canvass court availability and book dates directly, without needing to contact scheduling offices.
Recently, Calendly became available for Estates List scheduling appointments. Dates may be booked using the following link: https://calendly.com/toronto-estates
In completing the form to request a date, counsel must indicate whether the date being booked is on consent and provide an explanation if it is not on consent. As part of her presentation at a recent CPD on Essential Updates on Court Processes for Estate Litigators, lawyer Priyanka Bahl of Elm Law suggested various wording that can be used for the explanation.
A confirmation email will be received from Calendly, but counsel must still adhere to the procedure to confirm the appointment required by applicable Practice Directions and Notices to Profession.
Unfortunately, there is limited availability of court dates, with only a handful available in April 2025. It is unknown whether additional dates between October and March will becoming available in future. As stated, only scheduling appointments (i.e. 15 minutes or less) can be booked on Calendly for the Estates List. Matters that require an earlier date or that are longer than 15 minutes must still be booked through the Estates Office by contacting Toronto.EstatesList@ontario.ca.
For more information, please see the materials available on the CBA website for the CPD: Essential Updates on Court Processes for Estate Litigators
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The foregoing is for informational purposes only and should in no way be relied upon as legal advice.