It’s the new we’ve been waiting for. The BC government has announced that limitation periods to commence court proceedings have been suspended.
Courts and administrative decision-makers have been afforded more discretion to waive or extend matters in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. BC residents with open legal or administrative proceedings may not have been able to take the necessary steps in their dispute and many proceedings have already been adjourned due to coronavirus. The order will apply during the current state of emergency and any future extension.
This is might be good news good news if you have an Immediate Roadside Prohibition or Administrative Driving Prohibition.
Usually you only have a set amount of time to respond to a legal or administrative proceeding. Normally, f that time limit runs out, that’s it. You have no other options. But these are not normal times and the Province has recognised that.
If you have received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition or Administrative Driving Prohibition normally you only have seven days to file a dispute. From now on, if you missed that seven-day time limit you may be afforded more time.
Our understanding is if you missed the deadline on or after March 26, 2020, you may be able to request an extension. But you still have to act fast.
You will need to make a submission to RoadSafetyBC explaining your reasons for missing the deadline. It is highly recommended that you hire a lawyer to make a submission for you.
Acumen Law Corporation is highly experienced at making submissions for 90-day driving prohibition disputes. We know the technical, legal information RoadSafetyBC adjudicators take into account when making decisions.
So if you missed your deadline to file your IRP dispute on or after March 26, 2020, or you get an IRP during the current state of emergency, we are more than happy to help. Call us now on 604-685-8889.