CBA-NB welcomes New Brunswick’s investments to boost access to justice

Province's digital transformation project includes new case management system, in-court upgrades

CBA-NB welcomes New Brunswick’s investments to boost access to justice

Laura Cutler, president of the Canadian Bar Association-New Brunswick (CBA-NB), has welcomed the New Brunswick government’s “crucial investments” as part of its recent budget, seeking to improve the delivery of access to justice for New Brunswickers.

New Brunswick’s Department of Justice and Public Safety’s operating budget of $403.2 million includes an $87.2-million financial investment for justice services and the provincial attorney general’s office.

This investment includes $5 million to launch a digital transformation project, which will cost $32.7 million over six years, according to a news release from the provincial justice and public safety department.

New Brunswick said this project will feature new technology, such as a new case management system and in-court upgrades.

The innovations contemplated seek to reduce court delays, efficiently use court resources, and reduce the need for court users to travel to the court to file documents, pay fines, or make appearances.

“With this transformation, New Brunswickers, the legal community, public prosecutions, law enforcement and the judiciary can access the justice system more efficiently, while also reducing court delays,” said Robert McKee, New Brunswick’s justice minister and attorney general, in the news release.

According to the government department’s news release, the case management system aims to:

  • integrate the courts’ three levels
  • set up an automated, streamlined scheduling process
  • decrease duplicate data entries
  • enable electronic filing
  • boost data availability for informed decision-making

New Brunswick said the in-court upgrades seek to minimize administrative processes, reduce logistical delays, and improve video conferencing, digital evidence presentation, court recordings, and the overall user experience.

“Our government recognizes we must do things differently if we want to transform our province,” McKee said in the news release. “In combination with the other initiatives underway within the department, we are making strides to address court delays and help ensure New Brunswickers receive timely access to justice.”

CBA-NB expresses gratitude

“We appreciate the work by Minister McKee within his government and his willingness to collaborate with CBA NB and stakeholders to identify improvements in access to justice for New Brunswickers,” Cutler said in CBA-NB’s news release.

In its news release, the CBA-NB expressed gratitude to its members who supported its advocacy efforts in this area. The CBA-NB added that it was anticipating opportunities to offer its assistance and contributions to the provincial government’s future efforts to advance access justice for New Brunswickers.

New Brunswick shared in its news release that a further $1.4 million investment also aims to improve access to justice through raising the legal aid tariff, assisting in recruiting and retaining private bar lawyers, and increasing timely legal representation for those who require it.

The government department’s news release said an additional $1.67 million seeks to improve in-house legal capacity and reduce reliance on outside counsel.