News
W-18 Classified as Schedule I Opioid With Little Evidence of Potency
As of June 1, 2016, Health Canada has added W-18 to the Schedule I list under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as one of the most dangerous drugs known. W-18 has been classified as an opioid that is supposed to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl. W-18 was...
The Right to Silence: The Most Powerful Constitutional Right
While it may seem stupid, the most common way that people are convicted of crimes is by the words they say out of their own mouth. The police are required to warn a person when they are arrested that they have the right to remain silent but...
CHANGE TO THE LAW ON DRIVING PROHIBITIONS PUTS ONUS ON ACCUSED PERSON TO PROVE THEY ARE INNOCENT
On June 1, 2016 it became much more difficult for people who receive immediate 90 day driving prohibitions to win their reviews. Section 215.5 of the Motor Vehicle Act, as of June 1, now puts the onus of proving the case on the accused...
SPCA Cracks Down on Animal Cruelty
Have you been falsely accused of violating animal rights? If so, we are concerned about your rights! The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has become increasingly aggressive in recent years in investigating complaints of animal...
Ineffective Roadside Drug Testing
Recently, many questions have arisen about the efficacy and fairness of roadside saliva testing for marijuana. Government and law enforcement officials claim that these tests aren't biased, and that they're simply trying to protect drivers from the...
Police Proactively Investigating Information Via Telecommunication To Prevent Crime.
Law enforcement agencies are proactively trying to investigate and stay up to date with threats, breaches, and various forms of organized crime that are taking place in vast areas of the digital world. As technology becomes more innovative, many...
Common Misconception about pre-trial custody or "Dead Time"
When someone does not get bail when they are charged with a crime, they are ordered by the judge to be detained in custody. For every day spent in pre-trial custody the accused will usually be given credit for his/her days in custody at a rate of...
Government Accused of Reverse Engineering Immediate Roadside Prohibition Cases
Documents have been acquired by a Vancouver criminal defense law firm that purport to show the BC provincial government collaborating with adjudicators in order to reverse engineer certain Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) cases in British...
Unreasonable Delay: New Precedent Setting Case from Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Canada just released their reasons in a case called The Queen v. Jordan 2016 SCC 27. Mr. Jordan had been charged in the lower mainland with a number of very serious drug offences. He had argued at trial that his right to a speedy...
Bail Hearings: How a Surety Can Help Secure the Accused’s Release
When you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with a criminal offence, your first contact with the court system will likely be at a bail hearing. Section 515 of the Criminal Code provides for judicial interim release without conditions unless the...
Self Defence: New Case From Ontario
The Ontario Court of Appeal just released their reasons in a case called R. v. Cunha 2016 ONCA 191. Mr. Cunha was charged with aggravated assault and discharging a firearm with intent to wound after he shot a man who had invaded his home with another...