Criminal
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April 26, 2024
Regulatory changes coming for Ontario lawyers in private practice, sole practitioners
In the name of protecting the public, Ontario’s law society has made it so lawyers in private practice will be required to have a client contingency plan should they unexpectedly have to stop providing legal services, and new sole practitioners will face possible suspension for not completing a “practice essentials course.”
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April 25, 2024
Canada imposes more sanctions on Iran after Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israel this month
Canada has imposed dealings bans and entry prohibitions against Iran and two senior Iranian military members under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations, following Iran’s recent missile and drone attacks on Israel.
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April 25, 2024
SCC to hear appeals on Charter mobility rights and mandatory minimum penalties for child pornography
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal of a novel Charter s. 6 mobility rights ruling, which held that Newfoundland and Labrador did not violate the constitution when the province closed its borders for health reasons to non-essential visits by non-residents early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
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April 25, 2024
Former SNC-Lavalin executive sentenced to 42 months in bridge repair bribery case
A former executive with engineering firm SNC-Lavalin has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme to obtain a bridge repair contract in Montreal, according to a release by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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April 25, 2024
Might courts be partly to blame for court backlog?
The backlog in Ontario’s criminal courts has received much publicity. Recently, two high-profile cases have been stayed because there is a shortage of Superior Court judges available to reduce the strain now apparent in the criminal justice system.
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April 24, 2024
Decision beneficial in understanding law on making arrangement to commit sexual offence, lawyer says
Ontario’s top court has ordered a new trial for a man who was acquitted on charges of making an arrangement to commit a sexual offence against two underage girls who were later found to be the fictional creation of an FBI agent.
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April 24, 2024
The death of Walter Gillespie | Sam Goldstein
Walter Gillespie, a New Brunswick man who spent more than a score of years in jail for a murder he did not commit, died last week, a few months after being exonerated for murder. Alas, the wheels of justice ground exceedingly slowly for Gillespie. As James Lockyer, who fought for Gillespie’s exoneration, told The Globe and Mail, “We’re just glad he managed to clear his name before he died.”
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April 24, 2024
The life of Wally Gillespie: A study in strength of character and friendship | Ron Dalton
After 80 years, Walter Francis Gillespie left us on Fri., April 19, 2024. Wally, as he was known to one and all, was a remarkable man in many understated ways.
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April 24, 2024
Circumstances surrounding firearm cited in reversal of acquittal
Unlike the portrayal of American justice in popular media, when a defendant is acquitted at trial once and for all, the Canadian legal system operates with a somewhat different approach. It is unusual for an acquittal to be set aside on appeal, but it sometimes happens. This necessitates the Crown demonstrating a significant error in law that substantially impacted the acquittal. This distinctiveness of our legal system might surprise many.
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April 23, 2024
N.S. gets new justice minister amid comments controversy
Nova Scotia has a new justice minister following the sudden resignation of Brad Johns, who stepped down after making controversial comments about domestic violence.