The Defence Toolkit

The Defence Toolkit serves up summaries and commentary on the editor’s choice of the three best Canadian criminal defence cases every week. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to get notified of new posts.

The Defence Toolkit – July 5, 2025: A Flashback

by Pawel Milczarek | 5 July 2025 | Charter s.9, Circumstantial Identification Evidence, Witness Reliability | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Singh, 2025 ONCA 460: #omissions and #flashbacks, R v OW, 2025 ONSC 2922: #exclusive opportunity ID, R v Grant and Scott, 2025 ONSC 3513: s.9 #grounds for arrest R v Singh, 2025 ONCA 460 [June 25, 2025] Reliability: Omissions to Police and Flashback Memories [Reasons by J. George J.A. with Janet Simmons and R. Pomerance J.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Omissions and "Flashback" Memories in Sexual Assault Trials This appellate judgment offers helpful guidance...

The Defence Toolkit – June 28, 2025: Ares v. Venner and Expert Evidence

by Pawel Milczarek | 28 June 2025 | Charter 11(b), Experts, Hearsay, Sentencing Principles | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Willier, 2025 ABKB 370: Ares v Venner #Expert Evidence, R v Zabihullah, 2025 SKCA 64: 11(b) particular #complexity, R v Moazami, 2025 BCCA 189: trial #aggravating sentence R v Willier, 2025 ABKB 370 [June 18, 2025] The Common Law Business Records Exception to Hearsay [Justice N. Whitling] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Limits of the Business Records Exception in Criminal Cases Ares v. Venner established a common law exception allowing business records to be admitted as...

The Defence Toolkit – June 21, 2025: Crown-led Sexual History

by Pawel Milczarek | 21 June 2025 | Opinion Evidence, Sentencing Principles, Sexual History s 276 | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Kinamore, 2025 SCC 19: Crown s.276 and #sexual inactivity, R v Chiarelli, 2025 ONCA 428: lay #trafficking opinion, R v Attachie, 2025 BCCA 183: Nahanee and GP #mitigation R v Kinamore, 2025 SCC 19 [June 13, 2025] Sexual History Evidence: Crown Led Evidence and Sexual Inactivity [Reasons by Wagner C.J. with Karatkatsanis, Côté, Rowe, Martin, Kaiser, Jamal, O'Bonsawin and Moreau JJ. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: This case harmonizes the common law rules on...

The Defence Tooling – May 24, 2025: Excessive Interventions

May 24, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Walton, 2025 ONCA 368: #excessive intervention, R v Hardestine, 2025 BCSC 889: #ruse stop, R v Serieaux, 2025 ONSC 2356: #NCRMD R v Walton, 2025 ONCA 368 [May 14, 2025] Excessive Judicial Intervention [Reasons by P. Lauwers J.A....

The Defence Toolkit – May 17, 2025: Position of Trust

May 17, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Selby, 2025 ABCJ 70: #trust position, R v Aleekuk, 2025 NWTCA 4: #kienapple, R v Ahola, 2025 ONSC 2614: #impaired by drug R v Selby, 2025 ABCJ 70 [April 25, 2025] Sexual Exploitation (s.153): Position of Trust [Justice G.S....

Next Entries »

The Defence Toolkit – May 3, 2025: Panicked Provocation

May 4, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Picken, 2025 SKCA 43: #provocation, R v Lako, 2025 ONCA 284: #principled exception, R v Davis, 2025 ONSC 2404: #trauma and #flight R v Picken, 2025 SKCA 43 [April 22, 2025] Panicking can be Consistent with a Provocation Defence...

The Defence Toolkit – April 19, 2025: s.10(b) – Just Dial the Number

Apr 19, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Tierney, 2025 ABKB 223: 10(b) SW #delay & overhold, R v Cardinal, 2025 ABCA 128: #principled exception, R v Davis, 2025 BCCA 113: #gladue & s268, R v Tierney, 2025 ABKB 223 [April 9, 2025] Charter s.10(b): Search Warrant...

Browse Popular Categories

Browse All Categories

Evidence

Sentencing

Charter s.8

Appeals

Credibility

Sexual Assault

The Defence Toolkit – March 29, 2025: Breaches and Discoverability

Mar 29, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v James, 2025 ONCA 213: s24(2) #discoverability, R v Gordon, 2025 ONCA 201, judge #promise and GP, R v JC, 2025 ONCA 230: expanded #amicus R v James, 2025 ONCA 213 [March 20, 2025] Charter s.24(2): Discoverability and Cumulative...

The Defence Toolkit – March 22, 2025: Trauma Psychology

Mar 22, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v PJC, 2025 ONCA 196: #trauma psychology, R v DeSutter, 2025 NSCA 18, #sexual images relevance, R v SK, 2025 ONCA 149: #sexual assault motives R v PJC, 2025 ONCA 196 [March 12, 2025] Expert Evidence: Psychology About Presentation...

The Defence Toolkit – March 15, 2025: The Right to Interpretation

Mar 15, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Chen, 2025 ONCA 135: s.14 #interpreter, R v Nettleton, 2025 ONCA 155, GP and #arraignment, #penitentiary, R v Roshuk-Finch, 2025 ABCA 85: #step principle R v Chen, 2025 ONCA 168 [March 6, 2025] Charter s.14 - The Right to...

The Defence Toolkit – March 8, 2025: The Reid Technique

Mar 8, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Ordonio, 2025 ONCA 135: s.8 #voluntariness & time, R v Deverze, self #defence and weapon and R v Hallman, 2025 ONCA 123: #provocation R v Ordonio, 2025 ONCA 135 [February 25, 2025] Voluntariness: Length of the Interrogation and...

The lawyers at Sitar & Milczarek love written advocacy and ghostwriting services

Our lawyers have been litigating criminal trials and appeals for over 16 years in courtrooms throughout Canada. We can be of assistance to your practice. Whether you are looking for an appeal referral or some help with a complex written argument, our firm may be able to help. Our firm provides the following services available to other lawyers for referrals or contract work:

Please review the rest of the website to see if our services are right for you.

Sitar & Milczarek