Access to Justice
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January 31, 2025
Access to just us? Delineating legal services and justice | Daniel J. Escott
In a survey of 115 Canadian judges conducted with the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) and Athabasca University, 13 reported that they believed judges would be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) within the next 30 years. An additional 31 judges reported that they believed judges might be replaced by AI in the same time, adding up to 44 judges out of 115 (approximately 38 per cent) believing that judges at least may be replaced by AI within 30 years.
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January 30, 2025
Law firms combine class actions against railway companies related to 2021 Lytton wildfire
Two rival class actions against CP Rail and CN Rail for the recovery of damages caused by a 2021 wildfire in Lytton, B.C. are being combined according to a release by law firms Slater Vecchio LLP and CFM Lawyers LLP.
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January 30, 2025
Interpreter delay in drug case was ‘isolated and situational-specific,’ says Ontario Court of Appeal
Ontario’s top court has dismissed the appeal of a man convicted on drug charges who argued his arrest violated the Charter because police had failed to inform him of his rights in Vietnamese.
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January 30, 2025
‘Masterful advocacy’ in successful appeal shows justice must be seen to be done
The oft-quoted dictum of Lord Hewart, “Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done” (R. v. Sussex Justices, [1924] 1 KB 256), sums up the reasoning in Travis Leonard's appeal to the Ontario Court of Appeal released on Jan. 29, 2025 (R. v. Leonard, 2025 ONCA 63).
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January 30, 2025
Key amendments to Canada’s criminal defence law in 2024 and 2025
Canada’s legal framework is constantly evolving to address new societal challenges and technological advancements. With the rise of digital threats, concerns over foreign interference, and the need for better financial protections, the federal government has introduced significant amendments to the Criminal Code and related legislation in 2024 and 2025. These changes reflect a growing emphasis on online safety, national security and financial accountability.
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January 29, 2025
Yukon approves regulation for psychologists
Yukon’s government has approved the regulation of psychologists — thus establishing professional standards and giving residents access to “licensed, qualified” practitioners.
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January 29, 2025
How social media changed the practice and perception of law | Hodine Williams
A sense of duty, morality and impartiality once made serving on a jury a sacred act. In this epoch, to have such ideals is naïve, as the jury box is simply a venue for personal bias.
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January 29, 2025
B.C. bar association action plan aimed at strengthening public trust, president says
The B.C. bar association has issued a call to action to the provincial government to tackle pressing challenges in the justice system, which it says will help improve the everyday lives of British Columbians.
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January 29, 2025
Appeal Court finds no fault in murder trial judge’s inferences
It all appeared very normal. On March 13, 2020, around 9:40 a.m., Leelavathi Seevaratnam, 74, was preparing to mop the family’s four-bedroom house in Agincourt when the doorbell rang. She opened the front door and saw a man holding a small brown box asking for a signature.
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January 28, 2025
CRA faces legal challenges over implementation of capital gains inclusion rate hike
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is facing two legal challenges over its decision to implement the government’s proposed hikes to the capital gains tax inclusion rate on the basis that the proposals have not been enacted into law and may not even be tabled before Parliament.