The Ontario Superior Court of Justice, together with the Attorney General of Ontario, conducted a comprehensive review of the province’s Rules of Civil Procedure. Their goal was to identify meaningful reforms to improve efficiency, expand access to justice in Ontario, reduce complexity and cost, make better use of court resources, minimize delays, and embrace technological solutions.
As the report states:
“The cost of litigation is prohibitive for many Ontarians. Even those who can afford to enter the civil justice system face significant delays and expenses. For many, pursuing a civil case simply doesn’t make economic sense. As a result, more litigants are turning to private arbitration. Others are left without meaningful access to justice.”
This isn’t good enough. We can do better—and lawyers must do better.
Too many cases end up in court unnecessarily. While mediation and arbitration help reduce delays, the real shift needs to happen earlier: with lawyers. By offering sound, practical advice, acting reasonably, and focusing on their core role as trusted counsel, lawyers can help parties work toward just outcomes without unnecessary litigation. The system doesn’t just need reform; it needs a return to principle.
LINK: https://www.ontariocourts.ca/scj/files/pubs/Civil-Rules-Review-2025-phase-two-EN.pdf
Steve Benmor, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law), C.S., is the founder and principal lawyer of Benmor Family Law Group, a boutique matrimonial law firm in downtown Toronto. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and was admitted as a Fellow to the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers. Steve is regularly retained as a Divorce Mediator, Arbitrator and Parenting Coordinator. As a Divorce Mediator, Steve uses his 30 years of in-depth knowledge of family law, court-room experience and expert problem-solving skills in Divorce Mediation to help spouses reach fair, fast and cooperative divorce settlements without the financial losses, emotional costs and lengthy delays from divorce court. You can find his CV at https://benmor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Steve_CV_Nov23.pdf. He can be reached at steve@benmor.com
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