Introduction to Court Services Division
Our mission
The Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) is responsible for administering justice in Ontario. Within the ministry, the Court Services Division (CSD) is responsible for the administration of the courts.
The mission of CSD is to commit to a people-first culture, support pandemic backlog recovery, modernize the delivery of accessible and accountable court services and support a well-trained, professional and stabilized workforce to deliver quality services for Ontarians.
Our vision
CSD will take a people-first approach to build a modern court service that respects the diverse needs of employees and justice participants, including members of the public.
Our values
- Collaboration
- Respect
- Innovation
- Professionalism
- Service Excellence
- Inclusion
- Accountability
- Integrity
Court Services Division Strategic Plan
CSD’s Strategic Plan was updated and launched in 2022. This latest Strategic Plan outlines our division’s post-pandemic recovery vision, mission, values and priorities, as well as performance goals and measures. The plan aligns with and supports MAG’s mission to modernize the justice system and deliver more services remotely and online to ensure that vulnerable individuals and families have an accessible, responsive and resilient justice system that inspires public confidence and upholds the rule of the law in Ontario.
2022–2023 Court Services Division Strategic Plan
The vision of the strategic plan is to take a people-first approach to build a modern court service that respects the diverse needs of employees, and justice participants including the public.
People first
The first priority is to promote a culture of anti-racism, reconciliation, accessibility, and inclusivity
Performance goals
The performance goals of this priority are:
- Investment in supporting a culturally relevant and responsive justice system
- Support diversity dialogues and training focused on Black, Indigenous and racialized communities
- Ensure barrier free diverse recruitment
Performance measures*
The performance measures we will use to ensure we're working toward our goals are:
- Positive outcome on Accessibility survey
- Continued support of mental health courts
- Supporting Indigenous Persons Court.
- Representation on local Indigenous Peoples Committees
- Ensuring diversity questions for interviews
- Participation in ministry MCIP and DIPP
- Collaborate with Indigenous communities.
Backlog recovery
The first priority is to support pandemic backlog recovery and ensure continued access to justice for all Ontarians.
Performance goals
The performance goals of this priority are:
- Lead/support the implementation of virtual court hearings to augment in-person hearings.
- Support staff and justice participants with processes and procedures that reduce the caseload backload for all lines of business.
Performance measures*
The performance measures we will use to ensure we're working toward our goals are:
- Feed into ministry wide backlog metrics
- Statistics on uptake of new processes such as online filing
- Recruitment and onboarding statistics for backlog reporting
Modernization
The first priority is to streamline and transform court processes to modernize court services.
Performance goals
The performance goals of this priority are:
- Work effectively across the justice sector with staff and stakeholder groups by sharing resources and ensuring access to technology
- Engage justice participants to encourage innovative alternates to address service delivery challenges; encourage new ideas, innovation and smart-risk taking
Performance measures*
The performance measures we will use to ensure we're working toward our goals are:
- Statistics on uptake of new modernization initiatives
- # of modernization initiatives launched
- # of modernization pilots in place.
Training and Stability
The first priority is well-trained and stabilized workforce to support the delivery of quality services for Ontarians.
Performance goals
The performance goals of this priority are:
- Support/lead the delivery of training to court staff
- Implement/support the CSD long-term Staffing Strategy.
- Implement/support the CSD Short term staffing strategy
Performance measures*
The performance measures we will use to ensure we're working toward our goals are:
- Identify training taken by CSD management team
- # of training sessions delivered to staff
- Uptake on use of CCR positions within the region
- Staff recruitment and turnover
*Measures can be quantitative as well as qualitative
Role of the Assistant Deputy Attorney General
The Assistant Deputy Attorney General (ADAG) of CSD oversees the administration of Ontario’s courts and is responsible for legislative, regulatory, and operational policy and program development related to improving the court system. The ADAG is supported by 3 corporate directors, 7 directors of court operations, and 3 executive legal officers.
CSD corporate structure
CSD has 3 corporate branches, each of which is managed by a director who reports to the ADAG of CSD. The corporate branches are responsible for:
Corporate Support Branch
- business planning, controllership/audit and financial reporting for expenditures and revenue
- infrastructure and facilities planning
- workforce and strategic planning
- training design, development and delivery
- management of court information and data relating to cases processed, documents filed and hearings scheduled
- centralized front-line services, such as Defaulted Fines Control Centre, bail & restitution and deputy judge per diem/expense processing
Operational Support Branch
- legislative and regulatory changes with respect to court operations, including participation on civil and family rules committees
- legal and operational support and advice in all practice areas
- operational policy, program development and justice reform strategies in all practice areas
Program Management Branch
- program support in the areas of court interpretation, court reporting and jury management
- family mediation and information services development and contract management
- oversight of the municipally administered courts that hear Provincial Offences Act (POA) matters
- management of obligations, relationships and activities under the Writs System Licence Agreement with Teranet, Inc.
- judicial library services, court forms and court website services
Regional structure
For the provision of court services, the division is organized into 7 administrative regions. Each region is managed by a director of court operations (DCO) who reports to the ADAG of CSD.
Regions are responsible for:
- delivering local criminal, civil, small claims and family court services, including providing frontline services to the public at court counters
- maintaining records, court recordings, files, exhibits and databases
- providing judicial support services, including administrative support and support for in-person, virtual and hybrid hearings
- managing and supporting juries
- overseeing the enforcement of court orders
- managing and overseeing fines, fees and trust funds
- providing support for local court security committees, emergency management planning and business continuity priorities and projects
- managing regional justice participant relationships and communications on local and regional matters
- implementing divisional and ministry modernization initiatives at courthouses
- reporting on monthly/annual performance measures and key performance indicators (KPIs)
