Criminal
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May 02, 2025
Appeal determines whether Ontario Review Board had justification for permanent unfitness
Ernest Clayton was charged with multiple offences, including assault and threats. In June 2023, a judge found him unfit to stand trial due to his mental health issues. He was placed under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board.
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May 02, 2025
DEFENCES - Provocation - Self-defence
Appeal by appellant Hallman of his conviction for second-degree murder of Baltzis.
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May 02, 2025
Ontario AG says no plans for elected judiciary following statement by chief justices
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey has stated the province has no plans to move to an elected judiciary after three chief justices issued a rare public statement in response to remarks by Premier Doug Ford questioning the independence of Ontario judges.
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May 02, 2025
Folk music: Global comments on justice, law and societal norms
Folk music, with its roots deeply embedded in the cultural and social fabric of societies, often reflects the legal and moral codes of its time. Across the globe, folk songs have served as a medium to comment on justice, law and societal norms.
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May 01, 2025
So you think judges should be elected, Mr. Ford?
Well, Premier Ford, I guess you haven’t been reading my columns.
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May 01, 2025
Breaking barriers: Women in leadership in Iran
In Iran, the path to leadership for women is fraught with obstacles that reflect a deep entanglement of cultural tradition, legal restriction and institutional discrimination. Yet, Iranian women are demonstrating remarkable resilience, adopting innovative strategies to assert their influence and reshape what leadership means in a restrictive environment.
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May 01, 2025
In call for elected judges, Ford sounds very Trump-like
Not a week after polls closed and ballots were counted, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made his attack on the judiciary, and in so doing, he is sounding very Trump-like. The premier responded to a decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Paul Schabas’s injunction that prevents the province from removing three major Toronto bike lanes until the decision can be tested on constitutional grounds.
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April 30, 2025
Ford unveils proposed bail reforms, comes under fire for comments on judicial independence
The Ontario government has announced plans to toughen the province’s bail system through measures that include the introduction of special teams of prosecutors dedicated to arguing for the continued incarceration of serious and violent offenders at bail hearings.
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April 30, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal criminal decision should ‘be in a trial lawyer’s toolbox’: lawyer
The Court of Appeal for Ontario unanimously overturned the convictions of co-appellants for the shooting death of an innocent man in a London, Ont., park. The ruling in R. v. Lako, 2025 ONCA 284, announced April 17, ordered a new trial for William McDonald, convicted of second-degree murder, and Thomas Lako, convicted of manslaughter for the shooting death of Jonathan Zak.
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April 30, 2025
Policing the police? Calling out racial profiling for what it really is
As a Black person, there are many issues you have to contend with on a daily basis. You may leave your house, but there is no guarantee you will return home. I mean, that is the case for everyone, right? Not quite; the risk increases exponentially when the “hue” of your skin is an ever-present factor.