The recent Supreme Court of Canada decision, R v Tayo Tompouba, 2024 SCC 16, reenforced the obligation to inform a criminally accused individual of their right to be tried in either English, French, or to request a bilingual trial.
In response, the Alberta Law Courts have announced new documentation and procedures to comply with the growing number of French and bilingual trials being scheduled throughout the province. The required documents are as follows:
- Language of Accused (LOA) Form – to confirm that the accused has been advised of their language rights
- Practice Direction: Use and Filing of the LOA Form – outlining when the form is required and where it must be filed
- Practice Direction: Scheduling French and Bilingual Trials – detailing procedures for setting trial dates in French or both official languages
These changes are effective May 1, 2025. Documents are available on the Court’s website and all parties are expected to review and adhere to these new requirements. For more information on this Alberta Law Courts Update, read the official news announcement here.
