The Complete Brief
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July 18, 2025
Federal Court of Appeal shuts down rare, longstanding film copyright reverse class action
For the second time, the Federal Court of Appeal has refused to certify a rare reverse class action proposed by Los Angeles-based film producer Voltage Pictures, setting aside the Federal Court’s finding that a class proceeding was the preferable procedure for resolving Voltage’s allegations that its film copyright was infringed through online sharing.
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July 18, 2025
Registered accounts: Designating beneficiaries
Individuals in Ontario may designate beneficiaries for their registered accounts — such as TFSAs, RRSPs, RRIFs and FHSAs (see Part III of the Succession Law Reform Act, RSO 1990, c S.26 (SLRA)). This designation ensures that, upon the account holder’s death, the proceeds are paid directly to the named beneficiary, thereby bypassing the estate. This not only avoids estate administration tax on those funds, but also often allows for a quicker distribution to the designated beneficiaries as well as regarding RRSPs and RIFFs creditor protection.
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July 18, 2025
Auto body repair fraud likely a nationwide problem
The famous quote “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark,” spoken by Marcellus in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, signifies a deeper problem, often a sense of corruption or something fundamentally wrong, beneath the surface of appearances.
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July 18, 2025
Navigating AI in legal practice: Responsibilities, risks and realities, part two
We all know that AI has many upsides, and it’s taking the legal profession by storm. We also know that it must be used with caution. In the first segment of this three-part series, we took a look at some key initial concerns that can arise in connection with lawyers’ use of AI in their legal practices. These touched on legal ethics and potential bias, and how using AI can impact a lawyer’s professional responsibility obligations.
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July 18, 2025
ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE - Disclosure
Appeal by Boldt (Appellant) from the Court of King’s Bench’s decision dismissing his application for an order requiring the Respondent Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel) to disclose documents associated with activity from certain internet protocol (IP) addresses.
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July 18, 2025
SENTENCING - Offences tending to corrupt morals - Child pornography
Appeal by Terwilligar from convictions for offences relating to child luring and making child pornography and appeal from eight‑year prohibition order under s. 161 of Criminal Code.
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July 18, 2025
Express Entry at the crossroads: How our immigration policies are redefining selection
Canada’s Express Entry system has undergone a fundamental recalibration in the first half of 2025, shaped by the federal government’s decision to sharply reduce overall immigration levels. What was once a predictable and steadily expanding pathway has become a far more selective and strategically targeted mechanism. This shift has had measurable consequences for candidates, provinces and the legal practitioners who advise them.
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July 18, 2025
The long arm of the law: Canadian court orders offshore gambling site to block Manitoba users
In a wake-up call for digital platforms offering online gaming services to Canadian consumers, a provincial court in Manitoba has issued a decision blocking a service provider for violating Canadian gambling laws.
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July 18, 2025
Dangerous driving case illustrates how court of law eclipses court of public opinion
What’s the difference between a court of law and the court of public opinion? Public opinion focuses on the status of the offender and the victim, whereas trial and appeal courts look to the correct application of the law. An interesting example is the decision in R. v. Lojovic, 2025 ONCA 319. The background of the parties was not discussed in the judgment, but played a significant role in the press coverage.
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July 18, 2025
Tehran’s strategic blindness: The political fallout of Iran’s 12-day war with Israel
In the early hours of June 13, 2025, the Islamic Republic of Iran was jolted into a geopolitical reckoning. What began as a sudden Israeli air and cyber campaign — Operation Rising Lion — rapidly escalated into a 12-day war that exposed critical weaknesses in Iran’s military command, foreign policy posture and internal political cohesion.