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 – August 16, 2025: Reasons for Non-Consent

by Pawel Milczarek | 16 August 2025 | Charter 10(b), Sexual History s 276 | 0 Comments

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 Victimization as Reason for Non-Consent [Strekaf, Antonio and Feth JJ.A.] AUTHOR'S NOTE: In Kinamore, the SCC confirmed that when the Crown seeks to introduce sexual history evidence in a sexual offence trial, it must follow the same...

The Defence Toolkit – August 2, 2025: Diminished Moral Blameworthiness

by Pawel Milczarek | 2 August 2025 | Accessory after the fact, Capacity to Consent, Consent, Wilful Blindness, YCJA | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v IM, 2025 SCC 23: YCJA adult #sentences, R v Stewart, 2025 NSCA 57: #blackout & consent, R v Rashed, 2025 ONCA 515: #accessory wilful blindness R v IM, 2025 SCC 23 [July 18, 2025] Youth Criminal Justice Act sentencing: Adult Sentences under s.72 [Reasons by Kasirer J. with Wagner C.J., Karakatsanis, Martin, Jamal, O'Bonsawin, and Moreau JJ. concurring, Dissenting: Côté and Rowe JJ.] AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this decision, the Supreme Court of Canada clarifies...

The Defence Toolkit – July 19, 2025: Crown discretion

by Pawel Milczarek | 19 July 2025 | Admissions, Charter s24(1) Remedy, Probative v Prejudicial, Review of Crown Discretion | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Varennes, 2025 SCC 22: #Crown discretion review, R v JN, 2025 ONSC 4041: #bad character, R v AC, 2025 ONSC 3892: #admissions explanation R v Varennes, 2025 SCC 22 [July 11, 2025] Review of Crown Discretion: Charter 24(1), Abuse of Process, or Something Less? [Reasons by Karakatsanis J. with Côté, Martin, O'Bonsawin, and Moreau JJ. concurring, Separate Concurring Reasons: Rowe J. with Kaiser J. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Crown's dual role—as an...

The Defence Toolkit – July 5, 2025: A Flashback

Jul 5, 2025

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...

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

Jun 28, 2025

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...

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

Jun 21, 2025

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...

The Defence Toolkit – June 14, 2025: Expert Evidence

Jun 14, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Whitby, 2025 SKCA 55: #expert evidence, R v Herman-Ward, 2025 ABCJ 101:s.10(b) #perfunctory, R v McQuarrie, 2025 ONSC 2955: #prisoner disclosure R v Whitby, 2025 SKCA 55 [June 6, 2025] Expert Evidence Admissibility: Testing of...

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The Defence Toolkit – May 31, 2025: Pre-Trial Detention

May 31, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v JW, 2025 SCC 16: pre-trial #custody, R v Folk, 2025 ONSC 3052:s.10(b) #choice, R v SC, 2025 ONSC 1887: s.8 YO strip #search R v JW, 2025 SCC 16 [May 23, 2025] Pre-Trial Custody Credit: Wrongful Actions Causing no Enhanced Credit,...

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....

The Defence Toolkit – May 10, 2025: Unsavoury Mr Big Identification

May 10, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v KF, 2025 ABCA 149: #principled exception ID, R v JC, 2025 ONCA 331: DO #intractability, R v Willier, 2025 ABKB 260: s8 in #medical info R v KF, 2025 ABCA 149 [April 29, 2025] Principled Exception to Hearsay: Identification by of a...

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