Sofe Karaoulis v. RHCC Holdings Limited, 2010 HRTO 958

HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL OF ONTARIO

B E T W E E N:

Sofe Karaoulis

Applicant

-and-

RHCC Holdings Limited o/a Richmond Hill Country Club and RHGC Management Limited o/a Richmond Hill Golf Club

Respondents

INTERIM DECISION

Adjudicator: Ken Bhattacharjee

Date: April 30, 2010

Citation: 2010 HRTO 958

Indexed as: Karaoulis v. RHCC Holdings

1The purpose of this Interim Decision is to address the respondents’ counsel’s request for an adjournment of the June 17, 2010 hearing date.

2On February 16, 2010, the Tribunal issued a Confirmation of Hearing Notice to the parties, which informed them that the hearing is scheduled for June 15, 16 and 17. The Notice also informed them that requests for adjournments will be dealt with in accordance with the Tribunal’s Information Bulletin: Scheduling of Hearings and Mediations, Rescheduling Requests, and Request for Adjournments. The Information Bulletin provides that requests to reschedule a hearing must be made within five (5) days of receiving the Confirmation of Hearing Notice, and requests for adjournments thereafter will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances, such as the illness of a party, witness or representative.

3The respondents’ counsel sent the Tribunal a letter on April 20, 2010, which requested that the June 17 hearing date be rescheduled because she has to attend her daughter’s graduation. She stated that she only found out about her daughter’s graduation date on April 9, and that the applicant’s counsel has consented to her adjournment request if the date can be rescheduled to June 18, 22, 23 or 24. Alternatively, she requested that the hearing end early on June 17.

4The Tribunal is committed to the fair, just and expeditious resolution of the merits of Applications before it. In my view, it would not be fair, just and expeditious to adjourn the entire hearing day on June 17, 2010. The reason that the respondents’ counsel provided is not an “extraordinary” circumstance as set out in the Tribunal’s Information Bulletin, and it is not possible to reschedule the date to one of the dates listed in her letter. However, I am willing to end the hearing early on June 17 so that she can attend her daughter’s graduation.

5The applicant’s request for an adjournment of the June 17, 2010 hearing date is denied.