Introduction

Ensuring access to justice is the foundation of what we do in CSD. We proudly provide justice services across 146 courthouses and 827 courtrooms, including remote satellite and fly-in courts across Ontario. In 2024–2025, not only have we maintained this essential access, but we’ve worked diligently to improve and enhance our services.

Feature initiatives

Enhancements to Justice Services Online (JSO)

The Justice Services Online online filing portals were enhanced in 2024–2025 to further streamline processes and improve the user experience, including through increased file size limits and enhanced transaction history page features.

The portals allow more than 850 types of documents to be conveniently filed online, saving time for users who no longer have to attend a courthouse in-person. In 2024–2025, more than 1,987,000 documents were filed electronically.

Virtual and Hybrid Hearings project

Since 2020, CSD has been working with interministerial partners and the judiciary to modernize its technology so that court proceedings may now be heard in-person, virtually - or a hybrid of the two.

As of 2024–2025, approximately 145 courtrooms across Ontario have been updated with the audio/video technology needed to accommodate virtual and hybrid hearings. Through the VHH initiative, CSD is providing more modern access to justice options for Ontarians.

French language services

English and French are the official languages of the courts in Ontario and CSD ensures clients are aware of their right to:

  • receive services in French at any of the courthouses located in, or serving, one of the 27 designated areas under the French Language Services Act (FLSA)
  • request French or bilingual proceedings under the Criminal Code, Divorce Act or the CJA, anywhere in Ontario

CSD worked diligently in preparation to provide quality services in French in Sarnia, Ontario effective November 1, 2024, when it became the latest designated area under the FLSA.

Accessible services

Accessible services are available in all Ontario courthouses, premised on the following principles of accessibility for people with disabilities:

  • equal opportunity for people with disabilities to access, use, and benefit from services and programs offered out of a courthouse
  • integration of people with disabilities with others, unless alternative ways of providing services or programs are necessary for equal opportunity
  • respect the dignity and independence of people with disabilities

Accessibility Coordinators are available to provide information and assist with disability accommodation requests for court services and proceedings. 

CSD also co-chairs the Ontario Courts Accessibility Committee (OCAC) alongside Associate Chief Justice Fairburn of the COA. The OCAC provides advice to the ministry on accessibility-related matters in support of creating an accessible, barrier-free justice system in Ontario.

Court interpreter services

As Canada’s most language diverse province, court interpretation services are in high demand in Ontario. Interpreters are provided in all spoken and sign languages for eligible proceedings, in alignment with legislative and policy requirements for administering justice. In 2024–2025, over 60,000 court events required interpreter services.

Client support services

Court Services Division delivers accessible and responsive court support services through a range of channels.

The public can access assistance over the phone and by email. In person support is also available at 96 public counters across Ontario courthouses.

Court Services Division also provides various self-service digital tools and platforms, such as the JSO platform, which allows users to electronically file documents with the court and look up select criminal and civil matters online. Users can get help with online filing through CSD’s contact centre for online services.

Whether delivered in person or remotely, CSD’s client support services are designed to make it easier for people across Ontario to access the justice system.

Satellite and fly-in courts

Court Services Division ensures access to justice services in rural, remote, and Northern locations through its approximately 44 satellite and 29 fly-in court locations in Ontario.

Satellite courts are smaller court locations, often located in small towns or rural areas, that are connected to a larger main courthouse nearby.

Fly-in courts provide access to justice in remote northern and First Nations communities.

Online information and resources

Court Services Division provides essential information and resources online (either directly or in collaboration with partners) for court users, including for self-represented litigants and vulnerable individuals. Some examples include:

Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO)

Make Community Legal Education Ontario Ris a non-profit organization that develops helpful legal information and resources, including Guided Pathways to Court Forms, several of which have been funded by MAG. These pathways are online, interactive tools that help users complete court forms and understand court process by taking them through a series of plain-language questions. Based on their answers, the pathways populate the applicable court forms and provide tailored legal information. At the end of the pathway, the user receives a package of their completed forms and a next steps checklist.

Online Child Support Service

This service allows eligible parents and caregivers to establish or update/change existing child support orders through an online portal, without having to go to court or fill out lengthy court forms.

Ontario Court Forms website

This public-facing website is the official repository of hundreds of prescribed (and select non-prescribed) court forms across all court business lines. Forms are available in both English and French in fillable Word and/or PDF formats. The website also serves as a method of communicating important information to the public and legal profession, including legislative and procedural updates.

Ontario.ca resources

Court Services Division is responsible for numerous public-facing guides and webpages hosted on ontario.ca that provide information to court users about various aspects of going to court and participating in proceedings. All of the information is published in both English and French and is regularly reviewed and updated. In 2024–2025, the following pages and guides were substantively updated: