Split SCC sheds light on Indigenous sentencing in intimate partner violence cases & role of sentencing circles
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin held for the majority that the Indigenous offender’s sentence ‘is severe enough to denounce and deter this intimate partner violence, a form of violence that has been overlooked for far too long, while also offering a real chance to address [his] long-term pattern of offending rooted in mental health challenges and substance abuse.’
Friday, October 09, 2026 @ 5:39 PM
The Supreme Court of Canada has explained how three Criminal Code sentencing provisions should interact and be interpreted when both the victim and offender are Indigenous, and how sentencing circles fit into the mix. On Oct. 9, the top court split 5-4 to dismiss the Nova Scotia Crown’s appeal from a majority Nova Scotia Court of Appeal decision that reduced the five-year sentence a provincial court judge imposed on respondent Harry Arthur Cope to three years (less remand credit of 18 months): R. v. Cope, 2026 SCC 32. ... [read more]
Federal Court of Appeal rejects bid to strike class action over buyer brokerage commissions
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 @ 5:12 PM
The Federal Court of Appeal has rejected a bid to strike a proposed class action alleging that real estate rules requiring sellers to pay buyers’ brokerage commissions unlawfully control prices by shielding those commissions from competitive market forces. ... [read more]
Legal conference examines challenges in battling cybercrime
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 @ 5:08 PM
Keeping up with the speed of money, working with limited resources and assisting judges with gaps in their technical knowledge were among the challenges under the spotlight at a recent legal conference about cybercrime and crypto fraud. ... [read more]
Ontario Court of Justice begins pilot project for complex criminal case management
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 @ 12:56 PM
Effective Oct. 13, the Ontario Court of Justice is beginning a pilot project to help streamline case management of complex criminal matters. ... [read more]
SCC’s historic female majority ended after just 2 women applied for top court’s western vacancy
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 @ 5:10 PM
Only two women applied for the latest Supreme Court of Canada vacancy, filled by Manitoba’s Glenn Joyal, whose appointment last June restored a 5-4 male majority, ending the high court’s first female majority on the top bench. ... [read more]