More than a year after the BC Court of Appeal reserved judgment on impaired driver Carol Berner's bid for a new trial, the province's highest court has ruled against her.

In May of 2008, she struck and killed four year old Alexa Middelaer. 

The victim's mother, Laurel, says she was prepared for a new trial to be ordered, but she questions why it took more than a year for this ruling to come down.

"I don't know of any profession quite frankly where you can take a year to deliberate on something. In this particular case, there were three judges. I don't know who is managing and organizing their time, but I think, as stakeholders, we do require an answer to that question. what takes so long?"

Berner's lawyer has already indicated she plans to appeal the length of her sentence.

The woman has been out on bail since the fall of 2010, shortly after she was first ordered to spend 2.5 years in prison.