The common law tort of battery is defined as any “non-trivial contact.” In medical malpractice, an action for battery may be brought where medical treatment is given without the consent of the patient. In Bentley v Maplewood, 2015 BCCA 91 [Bentley], the British Columbia Court of Appeal (“BCCA”) had to decide whether attendants in a […]
In 2176693 Ontario Ltd v Cora Franchise Group Inc, 2015 ONCA 152, the Ontario Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) decided whether a clause of a franchise agreement, that required a franchisee to release the franchisor from all liability upon assignment of the agreement, was void and unenforceable. The ONCA decided that the clause in question was […]
Before juries begin deliberations, the presiding trial judge imparts careful instruction on the relevant points of law. The accuracy and sufficiency of these instructions, which are, of necessity, often long and complex, are frequent grounds of appeal. In R v Araya, 2015 SCC 11 [Araya, SCC], the Supreme Court of Canada ("SCC") ruled on the […]
The Supreme Court of Canada’s ("SCC") decision in Potter v New Brunswick Legal Aid Services, 2015 SCC 10 [Potter], calls on employers to communicate transparently with employees, unless legitimate business reasons require otherwise. The decision arose from a claim of constructive dismissal that had been denied by both the trial and appellate courts of New […]
In R v Auclair, 2014 SCC 6, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) denied leave to appeal from the Quebec Court of Appeal decision. In denying the appeal from R v Auclair, 2013 QCCA 671, the SCC also took the opportunity to highlight the “extraordinary and unique nature” of the situation that Superior Court Justice […]
The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) will have another opportunity to discuss how claims involving section 11(b) of the Charter should be assessed during the appeal of R v Jordan, 2014 BCCA 241. Section 11(b) of the Charter provides that a person charged with an offence has the right to be tried within a reasonable time. […]
Nuisance, defined as an unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of land, has long been understood as a statement of claim for disputes among neighbours. It is a basic characteristic of the tort that the alleged nuisance originates somewhere other than the plaintiff’s land. This characteristic was recently questioned in French v Chrysler Canada Inc. […]
The sanctity of the jury process must be maintained, said the Ontario Court of Appeal in a January decision. As well, an accused should not be deprived of the common law right to be tried by twelve people unless there are serious reasons for discharging jurors. In R v Kum, 2015 ONCA 36, the appellant […]
This case is concerned with the credibility and reliability of a witness, and whether or not the trial judge erred in her assessment of the complainant’s evidence and provided an unreasonable verdict. On February 19, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) dismissed the appeal of R v Perrone, 2014 MBCA 74 [Perrone] from the […]
In Caron v A, 2015 BCCA 47 [Caron], the British Columbia Court of Appeal (“BCCA”) was tasked with determining whether complaints to the police should be protected by absolute privilege, and thus, not actionable for defamation. In concluding that qualified, not absolute, privilege applied, the BCCA supported the long-standing truth that protection of reputation is tied to the […]