Criminal
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January 23, 2026
OBA civil litigation award recipients encourage mentorship in the profession
The importance of mentorship and elevating young lawyers was a focal point of the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Civil Dinner, which celebrates excellence in the bar. Both recipients of the OBA awards emphasized the vital position role models play in the profession.
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January 23, 2026
Supreme Court clarifies how to approach an accused’s past criminal record
The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld an Ontario man’s conviction for second-degree murder, clarifying how an accused’s prior convictions may be used to challenge their credibility at trial.
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January 23, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal rejects civil claim based on pseudo-legal tax arguments
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the limits of civil litigation as a tool for challenging tax enforcement, dismissing a taxpayer’s attempt to recast lawful collection measures as tortious conduct.
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January 23, 2026
DULF constitutional challenge keeps sentencing on hold in B.C. trafficking case
Sentencing in the high-profile prosecution of members of the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) remains on pause as the Supreme Court of British Columbia considers constitutional arguments that could have lasting implications for drug trafficking cases across the country, as well as for public health efforts to reduce the harms of the ongoing toxic drug crisis.
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January 23, 2026
EVIDENCE - Prejudicial evidence - Previous record of accused - Probative value
Appeal by Hussein from a judgment of the Ontario Court of Appeal which upheld his conviction for second-degree murder. Boucher was fatally stabbed after a night of drinking with friends in a basement apartment where Hussein was in attendance.
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January 23, 2026
Moral, legal imperatives affecting restitution of looted art
As someone involved in the field of art restitution, I often marvel at the different types of responses that we receive once we advise someone that the artwork in their possession was looted during the Holocaust and must now be returned to its rightful owners. Possessors who find themselves in this predicament range from private individuals to corporations and foundations, but most institutional possessors are clearly museums, which range from small regional ones in Western and Eastern Europe to the most prominent ones in Europe and the United States.
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January 23, 2026
POWERS OF SEARCH AND SEIZURE - Forfeiture of items seized
Appeal by Breton from an order forfeiting over $1.2 million in cash seized from his garage to the Crown. The appellant had previously been acquitted of all criminal charges, including possession of proceeds of crime, after the trial judge excluded all evidence under s. 24(2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms due to unlawful searches.
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January 22, 2026
Nova Scotia issues new summary offences, fines for illegal fishing
Nova Scotia is clamping down on illegal fishing in the province by adding dozens of new offences and hiking fines.
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January 22, 2026
New group to take on animal welfare in Saskatchewan
The job of protecting animals in Saskatchewan is changing hands.
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January 22, 2026
B.C. Court of Appeal weighs in on Port Coquitlam neighbour dispute
“Good fences make good neighbours” is the oft-quoted line from Robert Frost’s poem Mending Wall. It suggests that clear boundaries and respect for personal space foster better relationships. Even with walls and fences, relationships sometimes sour.