Criminal
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September 24, 2024
Survey: Half of Canadian small businesses face fraud attempts, victims lose $7,800 on average
Half of all small businesses in Canada experienced either attempted or successful fraud in the past 12 months, with 36 per cent of those that actually fell victim to fraud losing an average of $7,800 as a result, according to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and Interac.
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September 24, 2024
Ontario opening of the courts ceremony emphasizes technological change, access to justice
Leaders from across Ontario’s legal community met in Toronto for the annual opening of the courts ceremony on Sept. 23, emphasizing the efforts that have been made to modernize the court system while also saying more needs to be done to tackle things such as self-represented litigants and case backlogs.
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September 24, 2024
3 judicial appointments announced for Quebec
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani announced the appointment of Mathieu Piché-Messier, Lysane Cree and Horia Bundaru as judges of the Superior Court of Quebec, a Sept. 23 news release announced.
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September 24, 2024
APPEALS - Unreasonable verdict - Powers of appellate court - New trial
Appeal by the Crown against the trial judge's acquittal of Jones on the charge of refusing to comply with an approved screening device demand. The police arrested Jones after suspecting him of intoxication and possession of a stolen car. He was charged with refusing to comply with an approved screening device demand, operating a conveyance while prohibited, and causing a disturbance.
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September 24, 2024
Alan Dershowitz’s own private North Star | David Peters
Alan Dershowitz’s one-time fellow advocate for liberal causes such as elimination of the death penalty, gun control, universal health care and reproductive rights, the late U.S. senator Ted Kennedy, once spoke of the importance of following the North Star while sailing so you always have a guide to ensure you stay on course. For Dershowitz, that North Star is the U.S. Constitution and its ideals of equal justice under the law. These principles drive his understanding of what it means to be a civil libertarian, which he summarizes as someone who “defends the rights of those with whom he disagrees as vehemently as those with whom he agrees.”
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September 24, 2024
Definition of arson at heart of Ontario Superior Court decision
Setting fire to property with malicious intent is a serious criminal offence in Canada, commonly associated with the act of an arsonist. If one intentionally or recklessly causes a fire or an explosion, it can lead to an arson charge. The Criminal Code outlines five offences for arson in ss. 433 to 436 (1), including endangering life and setting a fire for fraud. This is a deeply serious offence, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if prosecuted as an indictable offence, underscoring the gravity of the act and the need for strict adherence to the law.
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September 23, 2024
Early election could kill proposed miscarriage of justice review body if bill not soon enacted
With the possibility of an early federal election looming this fall, advocates for the creation of an independent body to investigate suspected wrongful convictions are urging the Senate to move expeditiously to study and pass Bill C-40, proposed government legislation that would give birth to a long-awaited independent review body.
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September 23, 2024
Benefits and challenges of technology’s impact on law | Max Chaudhary
The year 2025 marks a significant era in the intersection of technology and law, where advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and data management have, for some, revolutionized the legal landscape. The integration of these technologies presents both opportunities and challenges, fundamentally transforming how legal professionals approach case management, client interactions and the application of justice.
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September 23, 2024
B.C. law society sets 2025 fees, amends policies on administrative penalties at recent meeting
Benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC) set fee rates for 2025 at their Sept. 20 meeting while making changes to the regulator’s administrative penalty regime and external appointments policy.
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September 23, 2024
Appeal court examines police use of informant info in gun case
Ontario’s Court of Appeal has maintained the need for trial judges to consider the “totality” of circumstances when assessing the credibility of information provided by confidential informants in police investigations. At the centre of the Court of Appeal for Ontario's Sept. 4 ruling in R. v. Buffong, 2024 ONCA 660, sits Temaal Buffong, who was arrested at a bus station after police received a tip from a confidential informant that Buffong was carrying a loaded handgun.