Reading Time: 4 minutes Access to justice is always a live issue, no matter how developed a country may be. Luckily, in Canada, our justice system rivals some of the best in the world. However, there is still concern for those who represent themselves in the criminal justice system. After all, criminal matters have a unique way of affecting […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes In R. v. Omar, 2018 ONCA 975 (CanLII), the Ontario Court of Appeal has rubber stamped the illegality of what is commonly referred to as carding, declaring that “[Everyone has] every right to be walking down the street unimpeded by the police” (at para 51). In a stunning decision where the Crown’s case rested solely […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes In R. v. J.L. 2018 ONCA 756, The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed the appeal of an accused who was convicted of sexual assault. The trial judge convicted the accused because he felt that the complainant would not engage in the acts as described by the accused because she was a young woman. The alleged […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes After the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling in R. v Jordan, 2016 SCC 27, which clarifies and streamlines the Charter of Rights and Freedoms delay of proceedings applications pursuant to section 11(b), “Jordan issues” in the courtroom are still alive as ever. Crown Attorneys, judges and court staff all have instituted protocol, mandates, better practices […]

Reading Time: 4 minutes Many perceive defence counsel as snaky, tricky, tactical used car salesman-like villains in courtrooms all across our countries. It’s easy to blame us— we defend criminals, right? The Crown Attorney on the other hand, is often championed as justice fighters— putting the bad guys in jail where they belong, virtuous and pure. The #MeToo and […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes Disgraced (and now nearly fired) Ontario Police officer, Craig Ruthowsky, has been recently found guilty by a Toronto jury of bribery (for accepting protection money from drug dealers), attempting to obstruct justice, breach of trust, and drug trafficking. Ruthowsky also has similar charges pending in Hamilton for which he has yet to stand trial. Ruthowsky […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes Access to Justice is always a live and relevant issue: people with limited financial means are at risk to not having legal representation compared to those who can easily afford it. Legal Aid alleviates some financial pressure off impoverished accused in Criminal Court, however, unless the Crown is seeking a jail sentence, it is nearly […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes No one condones sexual violence, harassment, assault or anything of that nature against women, or anyone else. Not the Judges, Courts, or Defence Lawyers. However, the sharp and profound movement that villanizes any participant of the criminal justice system that is involved in the acquittal of an accused who is alleged to have sexually assaulted […]

Reading Time: 4 minutes The Ontario Court of Appeal finds no harm or foul in blanket mandatory fines. Pursuant to Section 737 of the Criminal Code of Canada, The Victim Fine Surcharge is a mandatory fine imposed on each and every individual that is found guilty of a criminal offence in Canada. On each summary conviction: $100. On each […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes Yet Another Incident from the Ontario Court of Justice Raises Concerns About Those Presiding. A Justice of the Peace, presiding in Kenora, Ontario, decided that it was appropriate to make a racist remark, on the record, to an Aboriginal duty counsel in bail court this past August. Yes, you read that correctly. According to a […]