Damage to new Saint John courts causing 'minimal disruption'

Court proceedings in the Saint John region will be back to normal on Jan. 7, the Department of Justice and Attorney General has announced.

Officials were forced to secure alternative arrangements after an equipment malfunction on Monday caused water damage to the new Saint John Law Courts building at Peel Plaza.

James McAvity, regional director of the Crown prosecutors' office in Saint John, said there has been "very minimal disruption" in legal proceedings in the city despite the problems at the new building.

 "Officials in our prosecutions, court services and sheriff’s branches have worked tirelessly over the past few weeks to prepare for a move to the new facility and now back to their former sites," McAvity said.

"They have done outstanding work in order to lessen the impact on the justice system and we are very appreciative."

The first court sessions had been scheduled for Wednesday at the new facility, but the opening will now be delayed for an undetermined amount of time as the contractor – Bird Construction – assesses and repairs the damage.