Criminal Proceedings Rules for the Superior Court of Justice (Ontario)

• 28.04 (1) The pre-trial conference report shall be in Form 17.

Completion of Report

• (2) Counsel of record for each accused and the prosecutor assigned to conduct the prosecution, or a prosecutor with authority to bind the prosecutor assigned to conduct the prosecution, shall complete and sign a pre-trial conference report in Form 17, and serve and file the report in accordance with this rule, unless otherwise ordered by a judge of the court, or unless the accused will be pleading guilty and has complied with rule 28.04(4).

• (3) Where an accused is self-represented, she or he shall complete, sign, serve and file a pre-trial conference report in Form 17, in accordance with this rule unless the accused will be pleading guilty and has complied with rule 28.04(4).

• (4) Where counsel of record for an accused or a self-represented accused knows that the accused will be pleading guilty on the indictment, counsel or the self-represented accused shall advise the prosecutor and, where required, obtain the prosecutor’s consent to the entry of the plea, at least ten (10) days before the date scheduled for the pre-trial conference, or as soon as counsel has received appropriate instructions about the plea of guilty, as the case may be.

• (5) All counsel must complete their positions on each issue in Form 17, and not indicate “will advise”, “not as yet”, or words of similar effect.

• (6) The prosecutor’s copy of Form 17 shall also include the following information based on the information available to the prosecutor at the time of completion of the pre-trial conference report:

  • (a) a brief synopsis of the allegations, including how the prosecutor intends to prove them;

  • (b) a statement of the prosecutor’s position on sentence if there were to be a plea of guilty prior to trial, including any requirement of a joint submission and plea on certain counts of the indictment;

  and a statement of the prosecutor’s position on sentence upon conviction after trial, including whether dangerous or long-term offender proceedings may be taken in the event of conviction.

Serving and Filing of Report

• (7) Unless otherwise ordered by a judge of the court or where the accused will be pleading guilty, the prosecutor must serve counsel of record for each accused, or where the accused is self-represented, the accused, not later than ten (10) days before the date scheduled for the pre-trial conference.

• (8) Unless otherwise ordered by a judge of the court or where the accused will be pleading guilty, counsel of record for each accused, or the accused if self-represented shall serve the prosecutor, counsel for each co-accused and any other self-represented accused not later than five (5) days before the date scheduled for the pre-trial conference, even if the prosecutor has failed to serve and file Form 17, or otherwise failed to comply with this rule.

• (9) Where the accused will be pleading guilty, the prosecutor shall file a synopsis of the allegations upon which the guilty plea will be based three (3) days prior to the date scheduled for the pre-trial conference.

• (10) Where all counsel will be filing a joint pre-trial conference report, it shall be filed five (5) days before the date scheduled for the pre-trial conference.

Changes of Position

• (11) If either party changes any position taken and recorded on the pre-trial conference report, the party must provide written notice of the change to the other parties and the Superior Court trial coordinator and arrange for a further pre-trial conference as soon as practicable, and serve and file any notices, records, facta, books of authorities or other materials required by these rules.

• (12) Failure to comply with rule 28.04(11) may result in any application resulting from a change in position not being heard by the trial judge.

Changes Of or To Counsel

• (13) Where new counsel has been retained, an accused who was self-represented has retained counsel or an accused who was represented by counsel is no longer represented by counsel after the pre-trial conference and pre-trial conference reports have been completed, counsel or the self-represented accused shall review the pre-trial conference report filed earlier and notify all parties of any changes in position in accordance with rule 28.04(11).

Custody and Distribution of Pre-Trial Conference Reports and Materials

• (14) The pre-trial conference reports and any other materials filed for use at the pre-trial conference shall be kept in the custody of the court and not disclosed except in accordance with these rules.

• (15) The pre-trial conference reports and any other materials filed for use at the pre-trial conference or prepared as a result of the pre-trial conference shall be provided to the trial judge, except that all references to the sentencing positions advanced by Crown counsel, the criminal record of the accused and any application relating to evidentiary use of the accused’s criminal record shall be deleted from the materials provided to the trial judge, kept in the custody of the court and only disclosed by order of a judge of the court.

Completion of Report to Trial Judge

• (16) The pre-trial conference judge shall complete a Report to Trial Judge in Form 18-A1, which shall be forwarded to the trial judge not later than ten (10) days prior to the date on which pre-trial applications or the trial is scheduled to commence, as the case may be.

Completion of Report to Trial Coordinator

• (17) The pre-trial conference judge shall complete a Report to Trial Coordinator in Form 18-B at the conclusion of the pre-trial conference and forward this form to the trial coordinator on completion.

Confirmation of Trial Readiness

• (18)(a) In jurisdictions where Trial Readiness Court are held, the pre-trial conference or case management judge or another judge of the court shall direct that counsel or self-represented accused conducting a case shall appear in a trial readiness court unless all counsel and self-represented accused have not changed their position from the position described in the most recent pre-trial conference report, have complied with all filing requirements, and have completed and filed a Trial Readiness Report in Form 18-C1, not later than three (3) business days prior to the Trial Readiness Court unless otherwise directed by the Trial Coordinator.

  • (b) In jurisdictions where trial readiness courts are not held, the pre-trial conference or case management judge or another judge of the court shall direct that counsel and self-represented accused conducting a case shall complete and file a Trial Readiness Report in Form 18-C2 not later than ten (10) business days prior to the date on which pre-trial applications, the trial or the sittings at which the case is scheduled to be heard. If any counsel or self-represented accused has changed his or her position from the position described in the most recent pre-trial conference report, failed to comply with all filing requirements or failed to file a Trial Readiness Report, a judge of the court may direct that a further pre-trial conference or court attendance be required prior to the scheduled date.