What changed?
On June 3, 2026, the Court of Appeal for Ontario announced two amendments to its Practice Direction Concerning Criminal Appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The practice direction itself now lists its amendment dates as 14 June 2021; 21 October 2021; 16 March 2026; 9 April 2026; and 3 June 2026.
Summary-conviction leave appeals: requesting more argument time
The court says amended sections 6.1.5(2) and 6.2.3(2) set out the process for requesting additional time for oral argument when leave is granted to appeal a decision of the Summary Conviction Appeal Court. The standard time remains 30 minutes for the appellant and 15 minutes for the respondent.
For unusually complex cases, the amended text directs parties to request additional time by email to the Criminal Appeal Coordinator, who can arrange a conference call with the parties and the judge designated by the Chief Justice as the Criminal List Judge. After hearing from the parties, the Criminal List Judge determines the time assigned for oral argument.
Criminal intervention motions
The court also says amended section 6.1.6(1) clarifies that motions to intervene in a criminal proceeding in the Court of Appeal are determined by the Chief Justice, the Associate Chief Justice, or a judge designated by either of them, under Rule 30.
Why it matters
This is a procedural update rather than a merits decision. It matters for counsel, self-represented litigants, interveners, and court-watchers because it identifies who decides criminal intervention motions and how parties should seek more than the standard argument time after leave is granted in summary-conviction appeal matters.
Sources
- Court of Appeal for Ontario: News item, “Amendments to the Criminal Practice Direction” (June 3, 2026)
- Court of Appeal for Ontario: Practice Direction Concerning Criminal Appeals at the Court of Appeal for Ontario
Caveats
This is a public-record research note, not legal advice. It summarizes the court’s published notice and practice direction at publication time. Parties should consult the official practice direction, the applicable rules, and qualified legal help for deadlines, filing requirements, strategy, or case-specific questions.