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 – May 3, 2025: Panicked Provocation

by Pawel Milczarek | 4 May 2025 | After the Fact Conduct, Credibility, Provocation, The Principled Exception, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

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 [Reasons by Meghan R. McCreary J.A. with Liam M. Schwann and Keith D. Kilback JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: This case is a valuable doctrinal clarification that broadens the emotional range for the provocation defence beyond the...

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

by Pawel Milczarek | 19 April 2025 | Charter 10(b), During Search Warrant Execution, Gladue - Mitigation, The Principled Exception | 0 Comments

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 Delay and Access to Counsel [Justice Kent J. Teskey] AUTHOR'S NOTE: This decision is a breath of fresh air in an area that’s been marked by entrenched police habits and resistance to constitutional accountability. Justice Teskey...

The Defence Toolkit – April 12, 2025: Common Sense

by Pawel Milczarek | 12 April 2025 | Charter 11(b), Common Sense Assumptions, Counterfeit Money, Stereotypes of Human Behaviour | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v PP, 2025 ONCA 243: #arranged marriage, R v Vaughan, 2025 ONSC 1751, s.11(b) under 30, R v Admussen, 2025 ABCJ 49: #counterfeit R v PP, 2025 ONCA 243 [March 28, 2025] Commons Sense Assumptions by Judges: Arranged Marriage, Freudian Slips [Reasons by I.V.B. Nordheimer J.A. with S. Coroza and J. George JJ.A. concurring.] AUTHOR’S NOTE: This case serves as a sharp reminder of how "common sense" assumptions and stereotypes can easily slip into legal error:...

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...

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The Defence Toolkit – March 1, 2025: Search Warrants and Names

Mar 1, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Payne, 2025 NSCA 10: s.8 #warrant review, R v Ozeir, s.9 individual #grounds and R v Trepanier, 2025 ONSC 1200: #principled exception R v Payne, 2025 NSCA 11 [February 20, 2025] Charter s.8: Search Warrant Review: Identification of...

The Defence Toolkit – February 22, 2025: Parole Eligibility and Pre-Trial Custody

Feb 22, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Sheepway, 2025 YKCA 1: #parole & pre-trial custody, R v Khamvongsa, 2025 ABCA 43: #inconsistencies and R v Wendt and Ferri, 2025 ONSC 812: s.8 home #safety search R v Sheepway, 2025 YKCA 1 [February 11, 2025] Harsh Pre-Trial...

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The Defence Toolkit – February 1, 2025: Disclosure of Videos of Complainant Violence

Feb 1, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Haley, 2025 ONSC 265: s.7 #disclosure, R v AV, 2025 ONSC 57: #similar fact, and R v Lemay-Storms, 2025 ABKB 39: #principled exception R v Haley, 2025 ONSC 265 [January 16, 2025] Charter s.7: Past Complainant Violence Video and...

The Defence Toolkit – January 25, 2025: Video Statements

Jan 25, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Reves, 2025 ABCA 5: s.715.1 #statements, R v SLB, 2024 ABCA 412: #historical memory, and R v RB-C, 2024 ONCA 930: 11(b) post-conviction R v Reves, 2025 ABCA 5 [January 9, 2025] Admissibility of s.715.1 Statements: Context of Prior...

The Defence Toolkit – December 21, 2024: Non-stranger Identification

Dec 21, 2024

This week's top three summaries: R v DGA, 2024 SKCA 114: prior ID non-stranger, R v Watson, 2024 ONSC 6781: #duress, and R v Osaigbovo, 2024 ONSC 6914: no reasons = #mistrial R v DGA, 2024 SKCA 114 [December 10, 2024] Identification Evidence: Non-Strangers and Prior...

The Defence Toolkit – December 14, 2024: The Unsavoury Witness and Hearsay

Dec 14, 2024

This week's top three summaries: R v Boucher, 2024 ABKB 707: #principled exception, R v Boucher, 2024 ABKB 722: s.8: res gestae & #silent adoption, and R v Vandal-Lauman, 2024 ABKB 667: conditional #sentence R v Boucher, 2024 ABKB 707 [November 5, 2024] The...

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