Service Alberta can receive and investigate complaints about and issue fines for renting offences described in the Residential Tenancies Act.EDITOR’S NOTE This article was first published in LawNow on September 8, 2014. It was reviewed and updated in 2024.How familiar are you with offences … [Read more...]
Deficiency Judgments in Mortgage Proceedings
Some homeowners may have to pay the lender the difference between what they owe on their house and how much the lender recovers during the foreclosure process. This is known as a deficiency judgment.When someone can no longer pay their mortgage, they risk losing their home through a legal … [Read more...]
The Dog Days: Peace Officer Powers under the Animal Protection Act
With the record-breaking heat, drought, wildfires, and now flooding in Alberta, there are a great number of animals, both domestic and wild, that are suffering or who have been lost or displaced.If you come across a domestic animal that is in distress or who appears to have been mistreated or … [Read more...]
Bridging the Gap: Applying trauma-informed interviewing from criminal to family law
Trauma-informed interviewing practices are common in criminal cases to help lawyers effectively communicate with survivors of assault. But family lawyers should also use them when working with clients who've experienced trauma.As legal practices evolve, there is a growing recognition of how … [Read more...]
Defending the Defence
The Umar Zameer case demonstrates the important role defence counsel play in advocating for the innocent and protecting the integrity of our justice system.Defence counsel are almost always villainized by the media. They are often cast as an inhumane bump on the road to justice in movies and … [Read more...]
Canada’s Proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act
In 2022, Canada proposed the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act to attempt to regulate and promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence, though the framework is not yet law.Canada has become a leader in developing and using artificial intelligence (AI). AI has become increasingly … [Read more...]
Bill C-92’s Journey to the SCC
In February 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada decided Bill C-92, which allows Indigenous communities to exercise control over child and family services, is constitutional in its entirety.Reconciliation is the responsibility of every Canadian. The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision on Bill … [Read more...]
Can You Buy a Home Without a Lawyer in Alberta?
While it may be tempting to DIY the homebuying process and save on legal fees, there are many benefits to hiring a lawyer, including having a faster and lower stress experience.It is springtime and the start of homebuying season is here. If you are thinking of buying a home, you may be … [Read more...]
Reclaiming the D-Word
In planning for end of life, we first need to be able to talk about it.Death—it’s a reality of life that on a certain level we know will come for us all, but one that in our modern world we have managed to push to the peripheries. The average lifespan for a Canadian in 2020 was a hair shy of … [Read more...]
Edmonton’s Encampment Case: What does it mean for future cases?
The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights' August 2023 constitutional challenge to the City of Edmonton’s encampment removals did not succeed, but this case wasn't the first of its kind and likely won't be the last.As housing in Canada and Alberta becomes increasingly expensive, many people … [Read more...]
