Today’s Star reports of a teacher pleading guilty to luring a teenager online in Brampton. What is unusual about the incident, and plea, is that according to the agreed statement of facts, the teacher did not initiate the contact, nor did she express any sort of romantic interest in the boy. It appears from the Read more
The McGuinty government in Ontario is now seeking to introduce new legislation that suspends and restricts young drivers who speed, as well as fundamentally undermines their driving privileges when they are with other teenagers. The proposed legislation restricts, among other things, to deny drivers between 16 and 19 having more than one teenage passenger in Read more
The Star reports today of the first youth sentenced for murder as an adult under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The victim of the homicide was murdered by Justin Morton on the same day legislation came into force on April 1, 2003. The article can be found on the link below and the Act can Read more
An interesting article by ERIK ECKHOLM on public defenders refusing to take cases because of their workload. MIAMI — Public defenders’ offices in at least seven states are refusing to take on new cases or have sued to limit them, citing overwhelming workloads that they say undermine the constitutional right to counsel for the poor.
In today’s Globe and Mail, Clayton Ruby discusses our judicial system’s present problems with delay. This is nothing new and recently we have seen a number of pronouncements, posturing, and even commissions on the issue. What is significant about this article is it raises the seemingly forgotten question: what happened to the right to a Read more
I came across an interesting article on CBC News today on the disturbing trend and proliferation of taser deaths in Canada. The link can be found here where it shows as of July 2008 there had been over 20 deaths at the hands of tasers. Deaths continue to mount and notwithstanding the troubling news, police Read more
An interesting ruling last week prohibiting the accused from possessing knives while on probation, even while eating. “He should be able to get along with a spoon and a fork” ruled Justice R.T. Weseloh. Personally, 90% of my diet is either pizza or something eaten with chop-sticks; however, I could see how it might be Read more
Here is a post from my photography blog as it is relevant to criminal lawyer. As some of you know, when not taking pictures I’m a criminal defence lawyer practicing out of Toronto. Yesterday, my co-counsel David Bayliss and I completed a case in Newmarket for first-degree murder. Waiting for verdicts is easily the most Read more