Justice Efficiencies and
Access to the Justice System

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Final Report on Mega-trials of the Steering Committee on Justice Efficiencies and Access to the Criminal Justice System

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I. BACKGROUND

II. WORK OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE
2.1 Recommendations of the F/P/T Heads of Criminal Prosecutions on the Management of Mega-cases
2.2 Final Report of the Barreau on Mega-trials

III. CHARACTERISTICS OF MEGA-TRIALS

IV. THE "EXCEPTIONAL TRIAL PROCEDURE"
4.1 Declaration of the Chief Judge
4.2 Case management judge
4.2.1 Role of the management judge before the evidence is heard before the jury
4.2.2 Common hearing of related preliminary motions involving the same evidence in separate files
4.2.3 Issues under the authority of the management judge
4.2.4 Report of the management judge to the trial judge
4.2.5 Effect of the exceptional trial procedure on compensation provided by the state
4.2.6 Role of the management judge during the hearing of evidence before a jury

V. OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONDUCT OF MEGA-TRIALS
5.1 Involving the prosecutor at the investigation stage
5.2 Number of accused and charges
5.3 Alternate jurors and minimal number of jurors
5.4 Alternate judge
5.5 Bail issues
5.6 Disclosure
5.7 Involvement of Law Societies

VI. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE

VII. NEXT STEPS