Law Day is a national event created by the CBA celebrating the signing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Held every April, Law Day provides an opportunity for Canadians to learn about their justice system and to project a positive image of the legal profession.

Law Day is held in communities throughout B.C. and in some, it’s expanded into Law Week. This year, events will be held in Cowichan Valley, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, New Westminster, Terrace, Tri-Cities, Vancouver and Victoria, and possibly Maple Ridge and Prince George.

Law Week is made possible by the efforts of hundreds of lawyers and other partners in the justice system who volunteer thousands of hours of their time.

In the Cowichan Valley
Law Day will be held April 23 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Duncan Law Courts. Visitors will have an opportunity to watch a fairy tale trial, view various community displays, question a lawyer, tour with the sheriffs and go on a treasure hunt (well, the kids, at least).

In Fort St. John
Events will be held throughout April.

APRIL 8
The RCMP will give a presentation on “Responding to Drug Houses.”

APRIL 16
Goldilocks will stand trial at the Fort St. John Court-house, charged with theft of porridge and mischief, ably prosecuted and defended by the Grade 5/6 class from Ambrose Elementary.

APRIL 25
There will be an open house at the RCMP detachment from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., including a canine unit demonstration at 3:00 p.m.

APRIL 30
There will be a Family Law Clinic at Northern Lights College.

In Kamloops
Luke Skywalker will stand trial during the open house at the Kamloops Law Courts on April 16. Visitors will have an opportunity to meet a judge, ask a lawyer questions, visits displays put on by more than 40 community groups, judge an elementary school poster contest, go on a scavenger hunt, learn more about the RCMP and tour the courthouse with a sheriff.

In Kelowna
Kelowna Law Courts will be the site of Law Day on April 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during which a Girl Guide will be arrested and tried. Other events will include several information sessions on a variety of legal topics where the public can ask questions of lawyers and/or a Supreme Court judge, information booths from community groups, RCMP demonstrations, a mock trial for Law 12 students, and opportunities to meet a sheriff and tour the courthouse.

In Nanaimo
Law Day will be held on April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Nanaimo Courthouse. Some of the events include seminars on wills and estates and family law, a Q & A with a Supreme Court judge, tours of the courthouse with a sheriff, information booths including the RCMP, presentations by Court Registry on e-filing of civil and small claims matters, and R. v. The Big Bad Wolf, with a Provincial Court judge holding him to account for all the huffing and puffing.

In Terrace
Law Day events will take place on April 16. An open house will be at the Terrace LSS at 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. with lunch provided, then at 1:30 p.m. there will be a courthouse tour followed by justice workers/professionals speaking in a courtroom from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In Vancouver
The Vancouver Law Day Open House takes place on Saturday April 25th at the Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission to the open house is free. This year’s events include free law classes, displays from a number of key organizations in B.C.’s legal community, Dial-A-Lawyer, mock trials, a public speaking contest for students, a student outreach program, a citizenship ceremony, and a free public forum featuring senior representatives of B.C.’s justice system.

In Victoria
Law Day is April 18. Visitors will enjoy a Fairy Tale trial, a police presentation including the K-9 dog demonstration, talks with judges, introduction to family law and dispute resolution via a skit, resource rooms, a high school moot trial competition and a scavenger hunt for the kids.

For more information on Law Week 2009 events visit www.bclawweek.org.

This article was published in the April 2009 issue of BarTalk. © 2009 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.