Criminal
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January 12, 2026
Nova Scotia’s public service sees changes to senior leadership
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced January 12 that Alex Ikejiani is now the province’s deputy minister of justice.
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January 12, 2026
APPEALS - Grounds - Misapprehension of or failure to consider evidence
Appeal by appellant from his conviction for rape and robbery committed in 1981. The complainant was attacked in an underground parking garage and raped under threat of a knife.
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January 12, 2026
A plea for in-person parole hearings
The Parole Board of Canada is an administrative body that makes decisions regarding the release of individuals who are serving prison sentences of more than two years.
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January 12, 2026
Ontario Court of Appeal offers patient ‘glimmer of hope’ after 25 years of seclusion
In the same week that the case was argued, the Court of Appeal for Ontario delivered its written decision (Hamblett (Re), 2026 ONCA 9) on Friday, Jan. 9, 2025, regarding an appeal by Camelott Hamblett.
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January 09, 2026
PM Carney’s appointment of Judge Hogue as Deputy AG of Canada sparks questions within legal community
Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue is retiring Feb. 1, 2026, from her full-time job on the federal bench — one day before starting work on Feb. 2 as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Canada, Law360 Canada has learned.
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January 09, 2026
DANGEROUS AND LONG-TERM OFFENDERS - Persistent criminal behaviour - Protection of the public
Appeal by Sewap from his designation as a dangerous offender and the imposition of an indeterminate sentence. The predicate offence occurred in 2018 while Sewap was serving a four-year sentence for a prior aggravated assault.
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January 09, 2026
Application of the ‘consensual fight’ defence in the context of domestic assaults
Does the common law allow for the defence of “consensual fight” to excuse domestic assaults? This question has concerned defence counsel contemplating potential defences to their clients’ assault charges, Crown counsel trying to prove the accused guilty of the alleged unlawful conduct, as well as trial and appellate judges considering specific policy reasons for vitiating consent in an intimate partner violence context.
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January 08, 2026
Court orders investigation into alleged discrimination over Elder services for Indigenous offenders
In a case where serious discrimination allegations were made for a correctional institution’s failure to provide appropriate Elder services to Indigenous offenders, the Federal Court has required an outside investigation to be conducted while remitting the matter back to the Special Advisor to the Commissioner.
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January 08, 2026
Nova Scotia releases first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan
Nova Scotia has released its first 2SLGBTQIA+ action plan, which includes addressing that community’s lack of trust in the province’s justice system. A Jan. 8 news release describes the action plan as a “co-ordinated road map to advance equity, improve access to services and supports, and build safer, more inclusive communities.”
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January 08, 2026
Camelot, Marilyn and the mirage of proof: A journalist’s blunder as blueprint for honest lawyering
Over the holiday break, I had the pleasure of watching the Netflix documentary Cover-Up, which explores the life and career of legendary investigative journalist and author Seymour Hersh. Hersh is known for exposing truths behind government veils. In this documentary, he is portrayed as a somewhat mercurial character, but nonetheless his deeply rooted humanity shows through.