The BC Provincial Court’s colourful and engaging 2024/25 annual report shares detailed operational data, judges’ demographics, complaint summaries, and glimpses of judges’ work both in and out of the courtroom. Creating reports like this is a collective, year-round effort involving many of the Court’s judges, judicial justices and staff. 

Each year, judges and judicial justices are invited to compile and share lists and photos of their community engagement activities. Many take the time to do this because they want people to understand the work judges do outside the courtroom on their own time, informing the public and contributing to legal education about the law and the Court’s work. 

Judge Derek Mah, who shared photos of two of his speaking engagements in this year’s report, highlights the different topics judges may speak about. “When I spoke to a Grade 11 and 12 law class, I explained our court system and the types of cases Provincial Court Judges hear. At a Chinese Law Students Association event, I discussed common challenges for law students, my own journey in law, and strategies that worked for me.”

Photographs taken by judges, judicial justices and staff members are a highlight of our reports. Each year a call goes out inviting them to take photos illustrating the report’s visual theme. Many are keen to contribute to our reports’ visual appeal and want to share their appreciation of the regions they live in and buildings they work in. 

This year’s photographers included Judges Craig Sicotte and Lynett Jung. Judge Sicotte explains that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to share the beauty of the place where he is fortunate to work. “The Nelson courthouse is over 100 years old, built primarily of Kootenay marble with Douglas fir interior woodwork, and one of the most beautiful courthouses in BC.” 

Judge Jung notes that the Penticton courthouse is in the heart of the city, close to Lake Okanagan. “The afternoon sun lights up the courthouse in a beautiful way. We are lucky to have windows in each courtroom, which is quite unusual. And of course, everyone who works there or comes to court can enjoy the Okanagan sunshine year-round.”

Holly Castle is one of the Senior Judicial Administrative Assistants who support judges’ work around the province. She contributed photographs of the North Vancouver courthouse because of what it symbolizes to her. “When I look at the courthouse, I see a place of justice, of integrity, of high moral ground.” Adding a personal note, she said, “Equally important, I see gratitude ... for being fortunate and proud of what it represents to me – a place full of an incredibly talented team of colleagues, judiciary, and friends. It brings me continual joy to serve our court, while always contributing to its purpose.”

The Court’s reports occasionally use photographs submitted by others, including Court Services Branch employees. Each report’s images are selected based on relevance to text and the shape and colours needed. The many contributions not used in one year’s report may be used another year or for the Court’s website and social media posts. 

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The Court’s five Regional Administrative Judges contribute short reports about their regions. Regional Administrative Judge John Milne says he values the chance to share insights into judges’ varied work, both in and out of court, and some of the challenges they face. “Working in six very different communities and three specialized courts, judges in the in the Vancouver Region appreciate how important those courts are to the diverse communities they serve.”

Chairs of the Court’s Education and Law committees prepare short summaries of their committees’ work during the year. Judge Reginald Harris, chair of the Education Committee until December, 2024, appreciates the public interest in judicial education. Noting that the committee reports to the BC Judicial Council, which includes public representatives, he says, “It’s important for people to see that our education topics include legal updates, factors related to the human problems judges deal with, and key public concerns like sexual assault trials, intimate partner violence, mental health and decisions affecting children.” 

The Court has been praised for the comprehensive operational statistics and analysis it shares with the public in its annual reports. Grant Marchand, Judicial Resource Analysis and Management Information Systems Manager, believes sharing this data helps build transparency, strengthens public trust, promotes data-driven decision-making and supports a better understanding of the Court’s important role in BC communities.  Research analysts Anton Seliverstov and Nicole Doucette prepare data for the reports under Grant’s direction.

“Each year, our team brings together data from our own systems and the government’s Court Services Branch to create a clear, accurate picture of the Court’s work. We analyze and prepare this information so the public can see how cases move through the system and how judicial resources are used.”   

                                                                                                        Grant Marchand

Other Court managers and staff also contribute information. The Court’s Director of Corporate Services, Hristijan Lozanoski, provides a financial report and the Legal Department prepares summaries of the complaints about judicial officers examined during the year and their outcomes. 

Rebecca Jensen, Manager of Strategic Operations, collects all the contributions, coordinates production under the direction of Associate Chief Judge Sue Wishart, and works with designer Travis Dudfield and writer/editor Ann Rounthwaite. 

Retired judge Rounthwaite underlines that beyond those mentioned, many other people within the Court help with the reports by answering her questions, confirming facts, and reviewing draft paragraphs. 

She adds, “Our annual reports’ comprehensive coverage of the Court’s work depends on the collective efforts of judges, judicial justices and staff members. We are really fortunate to have such a large, committed team!” 

Read the report at https://provincialcourt.bc.ca/about-court/reports-and-court-data.