The OCJ has announced the launch of the new Defence Counsel Sign‑Up Form for the 200‑series Case Management Courts at OCJ-T. This tool has been designed to streamline scheduling, support duty counsel, and improve coordination across in‑custody and out‑of‑custody matters.
The Defence Counsel Sign‑Up Form will:
- Allow defence counsel to sign up in advance for appearances in the 200‑series courts.
- Provide court staff and duty counsel with clear, early visibility into which counsel are speaking to matters.
- Support more efficient preparation for court days, including collaboration with the institutions, duty counsel and court operations.
- Facilitate integration with the in‑custody video list, allowing for better sequencing and smoother court flow for video matters.
- Facilitate messages to duty counsel to speak to matters on behalf of counsel.
A separate form must be completed for each matter being addressed. Once you click "submit" you cannot update or amend your response.
Duty Counsel Messages
The Defence Counsel Sign-Up Form will allow counsel to request duty counsel to address matters on their behalf as all the information provided on the form will be shared with Duty Counsel. Any additional information not included in the form must be sent directly to duty counsel by email at tocrimdc@lao.on.ca.
Daily Deadline for In-Custody Video Sign Up
To support the creation and streaming of the in‑custody video list, all counsel are required to complete the Defence Counsel Sign‑Up List no later than 6:00 p.m. on the day prior to the scheduled appearance.
Meeting this deadline is critical. Failure to submit by 6:00 p.m. may result in delays on the day of court and/or your client being brought to the video suite unnecessarily, as operations rely on the sign‑up information to prioritize and organize the custody list. You may be required to wait longer than otherwise necessary for your client to appear, as the new counsel sign up sheet will also inform the order in which accused matters are addressed.
Launch Date
The new form will go live on March 30, 2026, and can be found on the Ontario Court of Justice website under video court appearance information.