Canadian Lawyer

8 A P R I L 2 0 1 6 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m C E N T R A L \ AT L A N T I C \ C E N T R A L \ W E S T REGIONAL WRAP-UP government about how they (or those from whom they inherited or bought the land) had used and occupied the land for at least 20 years. However, the process proved to be time-consuming and expensive, in some cases taking years and costing what residents were told would be at least $10,000. Now, homeowners can get help from lawyers at no cost and receive free advice from land surveyors. As part of the pilot project, help with issues such as the existence of a will, unclear boundaries, and confusion about land ownership will also be provided. As well, the government is in the process of hiring a law student to work with the community on this issue. The pilot project, which received requests from 30 residents for assistance in its first week, will also help the govern- ment learn if there are issues that can be addressed to make it easier in the future for other communities in the province seeking land title clarification, says Natu- ral Resources Minister Lloyd Hines. — DM African Nova Scotians get help to legally claim their land Continued from page 7 Robe up! T he enactment of the new Code of Civil Procedure, with its philosophy of alternative dispute resolution, repre- sents an attempt at modernization of law practice that is quite radical. At the same time, in a move that could be seen as being old-fashioned, the Court of Quebec has made it compulsory to wear a robe in its courtrooms, at all times, except in civil practice. Before the new rule, no formal dress was necessary in simple cases of appearance, request for extension of time, or other pro forma instances. Robes were required in more seri- ous matters, such as trials or any situation when a witness would testify in a criminal case. Rumours have it that it's the way some women dressed that led to this tightening of the rules. Chief Justice Elizabeth Corte denied it was that simple. Many reasons justified the move, and although there have been some situations that caught judges' attention, there was no outpouring of complaints, she told the media. The goal is to improve the decorum and to make sure the parties are properly identifiable, she said. Some lawyers said they had seen a deterioration of decorum over the years, notably in summertime, when some colleagues showed up in clothes one would wear on vacation, like sandals or running shoes. The dress code became less rigid in the summer, partly because of the heat, to the point where, even in a trial, lawyers could do away with the robe. One newspaper reported that some judges felt uncomfortable disciplining lawyers improperly dressed lest they appeared to be biased or sexist. "It's a bit of a pain, to have to carry your robe around, on top of a briefcase, and a winter coat," one lawyer told Canadian Lawyer. "If one's practice is limited to the Montreal courthouse, where there is plenty of room and lockers reserved for lawyers in which you can leave your attire, it's not a problem. But in other, smaller-town courthouses, it can be a challenge just to find a place to hang your coat." He described how a colleague in such a situation had PASCALE ELIE Our cases have changed the law. Consider referring your client to us. Untitled-1 1 2016-03-22 7:41 AM

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