Notices to Counsel | Mandatory Setting Down of Hearing Dates

May 8, 2015

On May 11, 2015, the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat (IRSAS) will begin the process of setting down hearing dates for all remaining pre-hearing claims in the Independent Assessment Process (IAP).

The Completion Strategy, submitted to the supervising courts by the Chief Adjudicator in January 2014, provides a timeframe of spring 2016 for the completion of all first claimant hearings in the IAP. You can find the Completion Strategy on our website.

In order to complete first claimant hearings by the spring of 2016, the Oversight Committee agreed to the Mandatory Setting Down of Hearings for claims at its May 5, 2015 meeting.

Please be advised of the following important dates:

May 11, 2015: Case Management Officers will begin making calls to all firms representing claimants in the IAP. Legal Counsel are encouraged to work with Case Management Officers to prioritize their pre-hearing files for movement to the Scheduling Unit. Legal Counsel are also asked to assist Case Management Officers in identifying any files that instead fall into the following categories: NSP, Deceased, Lost Claimant, Withdrawal, Withdrawal of Claimant Counsel.

May 25, 2015: Where Legal Counsel have not participated in prioritizing their remaining prehearing claims and moving them to scheduling, Case Management Officers will forward claims to the Scheduling Unit under the Accelerated Hearings Process (AHP) and dates will be chosen by the Secretariat for the remaining pre-hearings teleconference calls and hearings. The postponement policy will remain in effect for all scheduled hearings.