Judge Brian Hendrickson had strong words for a Calgary law firm after one of its lawyers failed to appear in an attempted murder case in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Tuesday. 

Joshua Adams appeared in court via video from remand. His lawyer, Andrea Urquhart, was not in court and did not file a request to appear via telephone. 

The court called the Roulston Urquhart Criminal Defense firm and was put on hold to find a lawyer to speak to the matter. 

After being on hold for a few minutes, the court hung up and called back so that Hendrickson could leave a message with the receptionist. 

He told the person on the other end of the line that he was “exasperated” that there was no request to appear by telephone. 

“This is frankly ridiculous,” he said. 

Since coming on the record for Adams, other lawyers within the law firm have appeared by telephone as an agent for Urquhart. 

Hendrickson went on to say that giving lawyers the chance to appear by telephone is a privilege and not a right.  

He adjourned the matter to Dec. 19 but warned the law office that, if he is the sitting judge and there are any more issues, he will not approve requests to appear by telephone. 

Adams was charged with attempted murder following an alleged home invasion on Sept. 13. Gill Perreault was also charged with attempted murder stemming from the same incident.  

The Moose Jaw Police Service executed a search warrant the following day and Adams was additionally charged with failing to comply with several release conditions, possession of proceeds obtained by crime, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. 

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