Court Services suspends in-person services at Court Registries and Sheriff’s Office

NOTICE TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND PUBLIC COVID-19: SUSPENSION OF IN-PERSON SERVICES OFFERED BY COURT REGISTRIES AND SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Due to the ongoing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to ensure physical distancing, the Court Services Division of the Department of Justice is suspending in-person services at court registries and the Sheriff’s Office effective Thursday, April 2, 2020 at 4:00 pm until further notice.

Court Registry Registry services remain available remotely and through drop-off box filing of hard-copy documents in the manner described below at the Yellowknife and Hay River court registries. All posted telephone and email contacts continue to be monitored. See www.nwtcourts.ca for contacts. The Inuvik court registry is closed until further notice.

Filing of documents

Documents may be filed by placing them in the drop-off box located at the front door of the Yellowknife and Hay River courthouses. All documents must be inserted in an envelope indicating the court for which the documents are intended, and filing instructions must be provided that specify:

• Whether copies or certified copies are required and how the filer would like to receive them. They can be emailed or the clerk can arrange for a time for pick up at the front lobby of the courthouse
• Contact information for the filer (person filing the documents).
• Instructions with respect to payment of fees. Fees can be paid by pre-authorized credit card on file, by credit card over the telephone, or by money order or cheque. DO NOT DEPOSIT CASH

Fine & Restitution Payments

All fines can be paid online at www.nwtcourts.ca. If online payment is not possible, a money order or personal cheque can be deposited in the drop-box described above. DO NOT DEPOSIT CASH.

File Searches

Searches will be performed by court officers. Requests should be emailed to either territorialcourt@gov.nt.ca (Yellowknife), territorialcourtHR@gov.nt.ca (Hay River) or supremecourt@gov.nt.ca specifying the exact name(s) to be searched and contact information for the requestor. Court officers will perform searches for the name(s) provided and provide screenshots of results returned. Applicable search fees can be paid by pre-authorized credit card on file, by credit card over the telephone, or by money order or cheque. DO NOT DEPOSIT CASH.

Please contact the appropriate court registry for assistance for any other service related inquiry. Access to court registry mailboxes will also be closed. Counsel who cannot attend the registry prior to 4:00pm on Thursday, April 2, 2020 may contact the registry to make arrangements to to receive the contents of their mailbox.

Sheriff Services

The Sheriff’s Office remains available remotely and through drop-box filing of hard-copy documents in the manner described above at the Yellowknife courthouse. All posted telephone and email contacts continue to be monitored. The following services requiring personal contact are suspended until further notice; but, requests for service will still be accepted and will be carried out when service resumes:

• Document service
• Seizures of assets or land
• Evictions for unpaid rent or other financial considerations Please contact the Sheriff’s Office for assistance for any other service related inquiry.

Jeff Round Director, Court Services