“Criminal docket court in Miramichi is likely a mirror image of many others across this country. The courtroom is always filled with people accused of everything from shoplifting to very serious assaults and sometimes homicide. A battery of lawyers is always present with their clients and the scene is generally one of disorganized confusion to the uninitiated, but completely comprehensible to those who ply their trade in the trenches in this and other Provincial Courts across Canada.” Fred Ferguson “Tough Crimes”
FIND A GUY IN BED WITH YOUR GIRL?
That doesn’t mean you can assault him but if you do, the court will lend some understanding of the circumstances.
Sentence takes into account finding ex in bed with another guy.
WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE
“Tough Crimes demonstrates that Crown prosecutors and criminal defence lawyers do not escape unscathed from serious trials. The disturbing memories remain.” Honourable John C. Major, C.C., Q.C. Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. For anyone truly interested in justice and our criminal justice system, I highly recommend reading “Touch Crimes: True Cases by Top Canadian Criminal Lawyers” to find out what it’s really like.
GOING TO TRIAL? YOU NEED AN EXPERT
“Historically the official stakeholders in the criminal justice system, politicians, judiciary, bench, bar and law enforcement agencies, have taken great pride in the near-certain infallibility of the adversarial system of criminal justice. Today the rising tide of post-conviction DNA exonerations has shed a harsh and unflattering light on the staples of classic investigative tools and trial evidence: investigative and prosecutorial tunnel vision, eye-witness fallibility, hair and fibre junk science, opportunistic jailhouse informants, self-induced and other induced false confessions and disclosure failures. These classic tools, alone and in combination, have been the cause of numerous wrongful convictions.” Richard Wolson “Tough Crimes”
FOLLOW UP – Should lawyers deliver clothes to clients?
“Little” enforcement of Canada’s new prostitution laws, says lawyer | Georgia Straight
When the government makes stupid laws, everyone pretty much ignores them. To the police “the business of sex between consenting adults is not an enforcement priority.” Nobody wants to go through the trouble and expense of years of court cases to be told what we already know – it’s an unconstitutional law. Thanks a lot, Harper.
“Little” enforcement of Canada’s new prostitution laws, says lawyer | Georgia Straight.
PLANNING TO REPRESENT YOURSELF? YOU NEED TO LEARN THESE BASIC SKILLS.
Why Are Lawyers So Expensive? I’ll Tell You Why
HEAPING INSULT UPON INSULT
When Peel Regional Police issued their special media statement “clarifying” the circumstances of the arrest they either 1) failed to properly investigate the circumstances before speaking or 2) deliberately lied to protect their own. There should be consequences.
Peel police now say lawyer was handcuffed in court attire – Toronto – CBC News.
DURHAM POLICE INVESTIGATIVE TUNNEL VISION
Shades of Christine Jessop and Guy Paul Morin! Even though police had the evidence exonerating him, he spent 10 months in jail, now has a record of a murder charge on a vulnerable sector search and the real murderer is still at large. It took his lawyer to force them to see.
Exclusive: How a pacemaker proved accused killer’s innocence | Toronto Star.