Access to Justice
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August 07, 2025
Court cuts defendant children’s aid societies’ costs by 40% in birth alerts case
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has decreased children’s aid societies’ costs request by 40 per cent due to public interest concerns relating to a proposed class action against them for the discriminatory act of birth alerts.
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August 07, 2025
Ontario court awards $291K to estate in promissory notes case, rejects corporate veil claim
In a decision offering guidance on multiple legal issues, an Ontario Superior Court judge has awarded summary judgment of nearly $291,000 to the estate of a deceased lender in a case involving two unpaid promissory notes, while rejecting attempts to hold a corporate executive personally liable for the debts.
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August 07, 2025
When the system fails: Why I pivoted from personal injury to private lending law
Some may know that I’ve recently embarked on an exciting new journey south of the border as co-owner of Geraci LLP, alongside my partner, Anthony Geraci. Joining forces with him has given me the opportunity to grow professionally in a vibrant, forward-thinking sector — one that feels increasingly different from the legal environment I’ve known for over two decades in Ontario.
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August 07, 2025
Stratford stands strong in Ontario Court of Appeal decision on side-yard squabbles
The case of 2708959 Ontario Inc. v. Stratford (City), 2025 ONCA 512 is an important decision for Ontario municipalities dealing with encroachments — when a private building or structure extends onto municipal land, such as a road allowance. This case clarifies what municipalities can do when they discover such encroachments, even if they have existed for many years. The Court of Appeal held that the municipality’s issuance of building permits did not expressly approve the encroachments.
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August 07, 2025
Lack of cross-examination of videotaped statement leads to overturned conviction
On the night of Saturday, May 28, 2022, in downtown Prince Albert, Sask., Barry Pruden and his daughter were riding their bikes when a group of individuals confronted them along a riverside path behind the Prince Albert Provincial Court. One of the assailants, later identified as K.R., had a knife and stabbed Pruden multiple times.
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August 06, 2025
N.L. supports ‘Pathways’ to employment for those out of criminal justice system
Newfoundland and Labrador is giving more than half a million dollars towards an advocacy group’s efforts to strengthen job opportunities for those who have gone through the criminal justice system.
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August 06, 2025
Mitigating human rights risks in hiring and firing: A practical guide for employers
Hiring and termination are the two most consequential moments in the employee life cycle. These actions not only impact workplace culture and morale but can also carry significant legal liability for employers, particularly under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Too often, employers encounter human rights complaints not because of deliberate wrongdoing, but because of rushed decisions or a lack of understanding of legal requirements.
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August 06, 2025
Drug appeal illustrates how circumstantial evidence can lead to reasonable inference of guilt
Gerry Crawley, a commercial truck driver operating his vehicle, was convicted of importing and possessing 64 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The drugs, worth approximately $3 million, were discovered in after-market hidden compartments in the sleeper cab of his truck during a secondary inspection at the Pacific Highway border crossing in Surrey, B.C., on March 18, 2021.
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August 05, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal dismisses appeals challenging provincial mink farming ban
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has dismissed appeals in a case related to a provincial regulation banning mink farming, finding the order in council was not ultra vires even if it was influenced by interest groups.
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August 05, 2025
Federal Court of Appeal bars estates from Charter damages in early parole rights class action
The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the estate of a deceased federal inmate cannot claim damages for the government’s retrospective removal of early parole, which was found to be a violation of the Charter right not to be punished twice for the same offence.