June 19, 2020 – Interjurisdictional Judicial Communication in Hague Cases

“There is a protocol in Ontario that governs how this court should deal with inter-jurisdictional communications between judges, titled “Protocol regarding inter-jurisdictional judicial communication with respect to cases of inter-jurisdictional child abduction”.  The protocol is designed to address inter-jurisdictional issues arising out of proceedings brought under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.  I attach a copy of this protocol to this endorsement.

Although it is not clear to me whether Mr. Sewell is proposing a telephone call between judges or between a judge of this court and himself, and although Mr. Sewell’s request is not related to a proceeding under the 1980 Hague Convention, this court has used the protocol referenced above in other cases as well: see Wallace v. Williamson, FS-19-8416-0000 (unreported).  I conclude that it is appropriate to follow the protocol in the communication that the Michigan court seeks with this court.  Nothing before me suggests that doing so would be contrary to the primary objective: s. r. 2(2)Family Law Rules0. Reg. 114/99.”

         Starring v. Carrier, 2019 ONSC 3841 (CanLII) at 6-7