Meghan Maddigan, Legal Community Liaison at Courthouse Libraries BC who frequently provides excellent research and insights on the Courthouse Libraries blog, has turned her attention to Twitter, specifically three ways lawyers can use Twitter.

Image courtesy www.firmmagazine.com

Meghan’s advice?

1)    Keep Up to Date

She notes that Twitter is an information aggregator, tailored to publish whatever you find the most interesting, and Twitter’s unique 140-character limit forces users to essentially write newspaper headlines, which are very easy to scan.

Twitter’s scan-ability actually makes it very accessible for first-time users.

2)    Have a Conversation

When talking about social media, including both Twitter and Facebook, there is the assumption that both platforms are for narcissistic time-wasters more concerned with chirping out inane thoughts and observations that no one really much cares about.

In the case of Twitter, Meghan notes, it’s all about conversation:

Twitter can connect you to experts and people in your field in ways like no other networking. Whether you’re at the same conference or you’re interested in the same decision, using a hashtag connects you to people who are having the same conversation.

Twitter is all about listening and adding value – the key activities of professional networking.

3)    Collect Evidence

This final point is where Meghan offers the most unique insight that is pertinent for lawyers. Because Twitter is an extremely popular social networking tool, it can provide insights during litigation:

If you are interested, you can see the tweets of individuals involved in litigation to see what they are posting about.  Take for example the recent case of Beattie v Beattie, 2013 SKQB 127 (CanLII), a family law case wherein a BC woman was claiming the need for extended spousal support from her former husband based on her lifestyle.  

Meghan ends her excellent blog post by noting that her colleague Nate Russell has also provided some Twitter tips for lawyers.

While Yellow Sheet (www.yellowsheet.ca) provides up-to-date construction data for Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, and publishes information on projects, tendering, bid results, building permits across the public and private sectors, the blog provides up-t0-date news and views about ongoing construction projects.

Here’s a brief roundup of recent blog topics:

Abstract Developments

Abstract Developments is a leading residential builder in Victoria, and has worked on more than 60 projects in the region. They’re hard at work on their Village Walk project at Foul Bay and Oak Bay, and provide some insights about how to work with municipalities to get projects passed.

Sooke’s Spiritwood Development

Spiritwood Estates will be located west of Sooke town centre, in the John Muir neighbourhood of Sooke, adjacent to Melrick Road and Maple Park Terrace. The development has survived the economic downturn of recent years, and lead developer JP Langlois explains how.

How Westhills works with Langford

In February 2013 the City of Langford signed a deal with Westhills and the Victoria YMCA to build $30-million aquatic centre by 2015. The Langford-based development corporation has been very successful building partnerships with local government. Read more here.

But what are the benefits of massage to help recovery following personal injury experienced in an auto accident?

According to massage therapists and others, following personal injury, massage:

• Stimulates tissue healing
• Reduces muscle spasms
• Increases joint flexibility
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Retrains soft tissue to function properly
• Release endorphins

Contact Oana Burdett at our West Shore law office to learn more about massage and personal injury.

Dinning Hunter provides no-obligation consulting for the following circumstances:

• Motor vehicle accidents, including I.C.B.C. Claims
• Slips on falls on private or municipal properties
• Boating, motorcycle or public carrier accidents
• Medical issues such as brain injuries, dental or medical malpractice, nursing home negligence or mould claims
• Insurance disputes for disability, life or critical illness insurance claims

Is it illegal to marry your first cousin in Canada?

The practice of marriages between first cousins differs in acceptance throughout the world. This blog post discusses the situation in Canada. Read more here.

Is a Person’s Condominium Their Castle?

This informative blog post examples of how owners can be kicked out of their own homes, in this case, condominiums, including pet owners living in condos, owners accused of excessive noise, obscene language, and harassment of other residents to the point of assault, and others. Read more here.

Criminal Law Practice Portal

A good blog post about a terrific resource for British Columbians, the Criminal Law Practice Portal. The post includes details about  Rangefindr which lets Law Society of BC members run sentencing quantum searches in an easy-to-use online interface where you can start broad (e.g. “fraud over $5,000″) and then checkbox your way to isolate exact factual variables using Canadian case precedents (e.g. accused who profited in the millions, evaded detection and still got a conditional sentence). Read more here.

One of the biggest changes British Columbians will face is that any couple who has lived together for two years, or who has had a child together and then “splits up” may be able to claim assets as per a traditional divorce.

The changes to the Act affect both same-sex and opposite couple involved in a relationship, and are intended to resolve a massive courtroom backlog of divorce cases based on the previous law enacted 30+ years ago.

At times, the province’s increasingly quick-ending relationships were taking up as much as 25% of all court time. The new Act is intended to reduce the burden on the courts.

Under the new Act, all property owned by one of the spouses prior to the commencement of the relationship is excluded from the division of property when the couple breaks up. But, the increase in value of this excluded property becomes a family asset, hence is part of the pool which will be divided between the spouses on separation.

Although anyone who was in a common law relationship can apply for spousal support, whether this will be awarded or not (and how much) will always depend on the specific circumstances of each couple.

It is important to know that there is no automatic right to receive support just because of the relationship. In order to prevent these sorts of issues from appearing at the end of a relationship, while it may seem counter-intuitive, couples who decide to cohabit (but not formally tie the knot) may decide to formalize their relationship at the start of cohabitation. Discussing how you want to end things before the 2-year mark may help solve problems if you do decide to end things.

The BC government has created a pdf list of FAQ’s about the new BC Family Law Act (2013).

However, if you have any questions about changes to the law, please talk to a family lawyer in Victoria here at Dinning Hunter Lambert & Jackson.

While the priority to help people with low incomes, many services are available to all British Columbians.

The LSS offers:

Information

• publications
• the Family Law in British Columbia website
• intake assistants

Advice from duty counsel lawyers or family advice lawyers.

Representation (a lawyer to take your case) if you qualify and have:

• serious family problems
• child protection matters
• criminal law issues
• some immigration, mental health, and prison law issues

You can apply for legal aid by phone or in person.

The Legal Services Society (LSS) is a non-profit organization created by the LSS Act in 1979 to provide legal information, advice, and representation services to people with low incomes. The is funded by the provincial government, with additional support from the Law Foundation of BC and the Notary Foundation of BC.

Yellow Sheet (www.yellowsheet.ca) provides up-to-date construction data for Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, and publishes information on projects, tendering, bid results, building permits across the public and private sectors.

It’s a great local resource for anyone involved in the construction industry.

The site includes a ream of valuable data, such as:

Project Data - private and public project information gives you lead time to sell your service and product. Comprehensive data with project details, stage, contact info and consulting teams.

New Tender Data - get insight on upcoming tender calls with prebid data as well as tenders, RFPs, EOIs and Standing Offers with direct calls to action and closing dates.

Tenders & Results - tenders are updated with planholders, call extensions and bid depositories. Find out the low bidder/award to contact them directly and offer your product or service.

South and North Island Building Permits - want to know who to sell your product or service to? Get details on what is about to go into construction and the value.

Yellow Sheet offers a free trial here.

Yellow Sheet Construction Blog

Yellow Sheet also features an excellent construction blog that discusses projects up and down Vancouver Island.

Recent articles cover the Cayet Development in Cumberland, LEAGUE’s Capital City Centre project, and how the municipality of Langford is beating the housing slump.

Best Construction Blog of 2013

Yellow Sheet’s Construction Blog is nominated as “best construction blog of 2013″ – they need some votes! Go to http://constructionmarketingideas.com/the-2013-best-construction-blog-competition/ and vote for us. They’re at the bottom of the page of entries.

Well known by lawyers in Victoria, Alfred Scow, a retired judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia, was the first Aboriginal person to graduate from a BC law school, the first Aboriginal lawyer called to the BC bar and the first Aboriginal legally-trained judge appointed to the BC Provincial Court. He was a member of the Kwicksutaineuk-ah-kwa-mish First Nation from Alert Bay, Vancouver Island.

Scow established the Scow Institute for Communicating Information on Aboriginal Issues in 1996 and was also awarded the Order of Canada in 2000 and the Order of B.C. in 2004.

Scow graduated from University of British Columbia in 1961, and in 1962 was called to the bar. He was appointed to the provincial court in 1971, where he served until 1992.

On being asked why he became a lawyer:

“What really happened in my decision to become a lawyer,” said Scow, “was one of the young ladies who was preparing the yearbook asked me, ‘What are you going to do when you finish schooling?’ I said ‘I want to become a lawyer,’ so,” laughed Scow, “when I made that statement I had to do it.”

During an interview with Benchers’ Bulletin in 2010, Scow was asked what advice he had for First Nations students considering a legal career. “If I can do it, you can too,” he said.

Police departments throughout British Columbia will collect unwanted and unauthorized guns from the public during a firearms amnesty that month, according to an announcement recently at a meeting of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police.

According to a provincial government news release:

For the entire month of June, people who want to surrender ammunition or weapons, including imitations and replicas, can contact their local police and provide basic information on the items they want to surrender. Police will visit residences to pick up the firearms, so the public should not bring the guns or ammunition to the police themselves. The amnesty will not apply to weapons or firearms used for a criminal purpose.

Common scenarios involve guns received as heirlooms, or something in someone’s estate that they don’t want to deal with. Police can come and take the guns, and destroy them, according to the provincial government.  According to the RCMP in British Columbia, it’s important the public be aware that they should not bring their guns or ammunition to the police and that the amnesty does not apply to weapons or firearms used for a criminal purpose.

While the RCMP is responsible for the Canadian Firearms Program and provides direct operational and technical firearms-related support to law enforcement across Canada, call your local police first.

Appearing in a recent BC Courthouse Libraries blog post, In a recent paper written for Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia CLEBC, Tracy Ayling an Independent Litigation Support Consultant based in Vancouver has written a short short introduction to electronic trials in BC – the situation today and what things will look like in the near future.

Her research and subsequent report:

• Focuses on the current electronic trial situation in BC
• Provides her recommendations for key rules for running a successful electronic trial
• Showcases a successful electronic trial in Alberta
• Provides a brief discussion on the emerging trends in evidence management platforms and trial impacts
• Notes some of the many key benefits to electronic trials

A list of references is provided at the end of the report.

For lawyers, Ayling notes, it makes a lot of sense to move to an electronic trial format – not only is lugging around boxes of paper documents inefficient, adopting an electronic standard will help lawyers remain competitive as economic conditions continue challenge all professions, including lawyers, to reduce costs:

To stay mired in the past of lugging boxes and boxes of paper to and from court is simply inefficient, and too costly to continue on this track. Case sizes, new multi-media avenues, and levels of complexity have grown exponentially in the past decades and will continue to grow, and  court rooms were not designed to accommodate this trend. Additionally, in order for firms to remain competitive in this new age and difficult economic times, they will need to be even more efficient, costeffective, and be better able to adapt to the changing times.

Ayling points out that one challenge of moving to an electronic trial format is the cost of the transition, not only for law firms, but also for the courts themselves. Wiring and other provisioning has to be planned and paid for, and then successfully deployed – a complex state of affairs with no apparent easy and quick method of execution.

There is also no one set standard or convention for electronic trials – different courts will have different technological abilities, which is another level of complexity:

In general, the current process is that if you do want an electronic trial you will need to bring in all of your own technical gear and set-up the courtroom accordingly. Monitors are sometimes available for the judge, but  because the court doesn’t officially supply the bench or the witness stand there is no guarantee that the tools will be available for your trial. Therefore, normally the parties work out an agreement as to how that supply and cost-sharing arrangement will work.