The Defence Toolkit

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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 – December 20, 2025: Christmas Cheer from the Courts

by Pawel Milczarek | 20 December 2025 | Charter s.9, Eye-Witness Identification, Power of Arrest, Sexual History s 276 | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Carignan, 2025 SCC 43: s.9 #arrest, R v Stuart, 2025 ABCA 404: #cross & s.276, R v Linklater, 2025 MBCA 104: #eye-witness ID R v Carignan, 2025 SCC 43 [December 12, 2025] Charter s.9 - The Power to Arrest is Limited by s. 495(2) [Reasons by Côté J. with Wagner C.J., and Karakatsanis, Rowe, Martin, Kasirer, Jamal, O'Bonsawin and M, concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: The police power of arrest is constrained not only by the requirement of reasonable grounds,...

The Defence Toolkit – December 6, 2025: Courtroom Confrontation

by Pawel Milczarek | 6 December 2025 | Bail Pending Appeal, Browne v Dunn, Charter s.8, Smell of Marijuana | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v McDonald, 2025 ONCA 807: Browne v Dunn, R v Brennan, 2025 ONSC 6116: s.8 #marijuana smell, R v MR, 2025 ONCA 789: #appeal bail R v McDonald, 2025 ONCA 807 [November 25, 2025] The Rule in Browne v Dunn [Reasons by Fairburn A.C.J.O., with David M. Paciocco and A. Harvison Young JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Rule in Browne v. Dunn is grounded in trial fairness, which means its application is highly fact-specific. The jurisprudence does not require...

The Defence Toolkit – November 29, 2025: Cutthroat Fallout

by Pawel Milczarek | 29 November 2025 | After the Fact Conduct, Bad Character Evidence, Charter s.8, The W(D) Instruction, Witness Interviews | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Demetroff, 2025 ABCA 373: #after the fact, R v BR, 2025 ABKB 659: s.8 school #principal, R v Robinson, 2025 ABCJ 196: #witnesses R v Demetroff, 2025 ABCA 373 [November 14, 2025] W(D): Statements led by the Crown, After the Fact Conduct: Proven False Statements, Bad Character Evidence [Jolaine Antonio, Kevin Feth, and Tamara Friesen JJ.A.] AUTHOR'S NOTE: This case deals with the W(D) instruction, After the Fact Conduct, and Bad Character Evidence. In a...

The Defence Toolkit- November 8, 2025: Mandatory Minimums

Nov 8, 2025

This week's top three summaries: Quebec (AG) v Senneville, 2025 SCC 33: min #sentence, R v Hutton, 2025 ABCA 356: 271 mens rea, R v Backfat, 2025 ABCJ 183: #delayed counsel and release Quebec (Attorney General) v. Senneville, 2025 SCC 33 [October 31, 2025] Charter...

The Defence Toolkit – November 1, 2025: The Good Samaritan

Nov 1, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Wilson, 2025 SCC 32: #GoodSamaritan, R v Ukuqtunnuaq, 2025 NUCA 8: #fresh evidence, R v Liu, 2025 SKCA 98: #expert evidence R. v. Wilson, 2025 SCC 32 [October 24, 2025] The Good Samaritan Exception to Drug Possession [Majority...

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The Defence Toolkit – October 18, 2025: Criminal Defence Crisis

Oct 18, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v BN, 2025 ABKB 535: #ineffective lawyer, R v Shah, 2025 ABKB 535: s.8 #informant, R v Mohamed Mussa, 2025 ABKB 543: #circumstantial ID R. v. BN, 2025 ABKB 535 [September 18, 2025] Ineffective Assistance of Counsel [Justice C.D....

The Defence Toolkit – October 11, 2025: The Right to Full Cross-Examination

Oct 11, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v IMB, 2025 ONCA 678: #cross & #demeanour, R v Daignault, 2025 ABCA 328: #cross & Vetrovec, R v Penner, 2025 YKCA 14: 271 #relating to evidence R. v. I.M.B., 2025 ONCA 678 [October 1, 2025] Reliance on Evidence when Curtailed...

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The Defence Toolkit – September 13, 2025: Mens Rea and Failure Offences

Sep 13, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Emereuwa, 2025 SKCA 83: #failure and intent, R v Dos Santos, 2025 ONCA 598: 11(b) #mistrial, R v DM, 2025 ABCJ 134: #alibi R v Emereuwa, 2025 SKCA 83 [September 3, 2025] Statutory Interpretation of Required Mens Rea and Failure to...

The Defence Toolkit – September 6, 2025: The Grainy Video and Circumstantial Evidence

Sep 6, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Meier, 2025 MBCA 74: #gun #video circumstantial, R v DL, 2025 SKCA 498: #excessive intervention, R v Moore, 2025 PECA 589: cross on #discreditable R v Meier, 2025 MBCA 74 [August 18, 2025] Circumstantial Evidence: Video Recording...

The Defence Toolkit – August 30, 2025: A Group Attack

Aug 30, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Sels, 2025 ONCA 592: #defence v group, R v Singh, 2025 ONCA 498: directed #verdict guilty?, R v Pierre, 2025 ABCA 589: #instructions after-the-fact R v Sels, 2025 ONCA 592 [August 14, 2025] Self Defence: Against a Perceived Group...

The Defence Toolkit – August 16, 2025: Reasons for Non-Consent

Aug 16, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v PE, 2025 ABCA 272: prior #victimization, R v Thomson, 2025 ONCA 500: s.10(b) strip #search, R v Harding, 2025 ABCA 266: preventing #cross R v PE, 2025 ABCA 272 [August 8, 2025] Crown-led Sexual History Evidence: Prior Sexual...

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