Find your court date
The date, time and courtroom are on your release papers. To confirm them:
- Court locations and sittings: There is no public online search of criminal cases in Alberta. Your court date is on your release papers (undertaking or release order); the criminal office of the courthouse can confirm it.
- Call the court registry at 780-594-3374.
Your first appearance at Cold Lake Court of Justice
A first appearance is short. The court confirms who you are, notes whether you have a lawyer and sets the next date. You are not asked to plead guilty or not guilty that day, and the Crown gives you or your lawyer the evidence (disclosure) so you can decide what to do.
- Your release papers (undertaking, appearance notice or release order): they show the date, time and courtroom.
- Photo ID.
- Your lawyer’s name and number, if you have one.
- Arrive 30 minutes early: there is a security screening, and the day’s court list is posted at the entrance.
Duty counsel and legal aid
Duty counsel are lawyers paid by legal aid who help people without a lawyer at court, for free, on the day: at bail hearings, first appearances and simple guilty pleas. They do not take your case to trial; for that you need your own lawyer or a legal aid certificate.
Questions people ask
How do I find my court date at Cold Lake Court of Justice?
It is on your release papers. The court registry answers at 780-594-3374.
What cases are heard at Cold Lake Court of Justice?
The Alberta Court of Justice hears criminal cases there: first appearances, bail hearings, guilty pleas and trials. It is a circuit point: court sits there on set days only.
What happens if I miss my court date?
Missing a court date is a criminal offence (failure to attend court) and the judge can issue a bench warrant for your arrest. If you cannot attend, call the courthouse and a lawyer before the date. If you already missed it, speak to a lawyer right away: turning yourself in with a lawyer usually goes better than being arrested on the warrant.