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 – April 11, 2026: No Fixed Order for Decisions

by Pawel Milczarek | 11 April 2026 | Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Charter s.7, Right to Silence, Sexual History s 276 | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Hawco, 2026 BCCA 69: #reasoning process, R v Weatherston, 2026 YKCA 5: 276 #judge responsible, R v AB, 2026 ONCA 116: s.7 silence R v Hawco, 2026 BCCA 69 [February 24, 2026] Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Explicit Reasoning Process Error [Reasons by Riley J.A. with Harris and Edelmann JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: It is trite that not every individual fact in a criminal trial must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. That standard applies only to the...

The Defence Toolkit – April 4, 2026: The Condo Garage and Surveillance

by Pawel Milczarek | 4 April 2026 | Charter s.8, Garofoli application, Self-Defence, Standing - Jones, Uncategorized, Warrants | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Lye, 2026 ONCA 188: s.8 condo #garage, R v Griggs, 2026 ONCA 135: s.8 Jones standing, R v Martinez, 2026 ABCA 44: #self-defence R v Lye, 2026 ONCA 188 [March 16, 2026] Charter s.8: Police Surveillance in Condo Garage and Garofoli Applications [Reasons by Pomerance J.A. with M. Tulloch and J. Dawe JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Justice Pomerance’s decision examines the implications of prior warrantless police entry into condominium premises—including...

The Defence Toolkit: February 28, 2026 – Video Analysis by Judges

by Pawel Milczarek | 28 February 2026 | Accused Out of Court Statements - NCR, Disclosure, In-Court Identification, Trust Relationships | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Benn, 2026 ABCA 14: #video ID and DNA, R v Kipusi, 2026 ONCA 86: s.7 #disclosure NCR, R v JB, 2026 ONCA 44: #trust relationships R v Benn, 2026 ABCA 14 [January 19, 2026] Identification: Dangers of Video Review by Judges and Limits of DNA Evidence [Jolaine Antonio, William T. de Wit, Tamara Friesen JJ.A.] AUTHOR'S NOTE: The frailties of eyewitness identification are neither novel nor controversial. Decades of jurisprudence have entrenched the analytical...

The Defence Toolkit – December 20, 2025: Christmas Cheer from the Courts

Dec 20, 2025

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....

The Defence Toolkit – December 6, 2025: Courtroom Confrontation

Dec 6, 2025

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.,...

The Defence Toolkit – November 29, 2025: Cutthroat Fallout

Nov 29, 2025

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...

The Defence Toolkit – November 22, 2025: Functioning Technology

Nov 22, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Bjil, 2025 SKCA 116: #technology, R v Lessard, 2025 ONCA 760: #NCRMD, R v Krelove, 2025 ONSC 6004: #domestic discharge R v Bijl, 2025 SKCA 116 [November 13, 2025] Evidence of Functioning Technology: Radar [Reasons by Kilback J.A....

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The Defence Toolkit – November 15, 2025: Remand Retribution

Nov 15, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Whitlock, 2025 ONSC 6006: #remand s.12, R v EJ, 2025 ONSC 6016: #self-defence, R v CB, 2025 ONSC 6004: cross-count #similar fact R. v. Whitlock, 2025 ONSC 6006 [October 24, 2025] Charter s.12: Remand Retribution by Staff [Conlan...

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...

The Defence Toolkit – October 25, 2025: Expert Experience and Bias

Oct 25, 2025

This week's top three summaries: R v Matthews, 2025 ABKB 597: #expert bias, R v RL, 2025 ONCA 691: #acquittal appeal, R v Wilson, 2025 ABCA 337: #contempt R. v. Matthews, 2025 ABKB 597 [October 14, 2025] Expert Evidence: Experience and Bias [Justice Lisa A. Silver]...

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