Access to Justice
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August 08, 2025
Thinking out loud: Mulling changes to Canada’s Online News Act
In response to the seismic shift in how news is consumed and distributed in Canada and elsewhere in the world, Canadian policymakers embarked on a journey to try to rebalance the power dynamics between tech giants and domestic news outlets. With ubiquitous use of smartphones, audiences began accessing news online rather than through traditional print and broadcast channels.
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August 05, 2025
Ontario Superior Court judge receives reprimand for 14-month delay in correcting sentencing error
A review panel of the Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) has issued a public reprimand to Justice Andrew J. Goodman of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for his failure to promptly correct a significant sentencing error, concluding that his 14-month delay in addressing the mistake constituted “injudicious conduct” that undermined public confidence in the administration of justice.
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August 08, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal balances family situation, job loss in sentence reduction
How does a court balance the profound harm caused by sexual violence with the significant collateral consequences that imprisonment imposes on offenders and their families, especially when the offence occurred years ago?
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August 07, 2025
Court cuts defendant children’s aid societies’ costs by 40% in birth alerts case
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has decreased children’s aid societies’ costs request by 40 per cent due to public interest concerns relating to a proposed class action against them for the discriminatory act of birth alerts.
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August 07, 2025
Ontario court awards $291K to estate in promissory notes case, rejects corporate veil claim
In a decision offering guidance on multiple legal issues, an Ontario Superior Court judge has awarded summary judgment of nearly $291,000 to the estate of a deceased lender in a case involving two unpaid promissory notes, while rejecting attempts to hold a corporate executive personally liable for the debts.
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August 07, 2025
When the system fails: Why I pivoted from personal injury to private lending law
Some may know that I’ve recently embarked on an exciting new journey south of the border as co-owner of Geraci LLP, alongside my partner, Anthony Geraci. Joining forces with him has given me the opportunity to grow professionally in a vibrant, forward-thinking sector — one that feels increasingly different from the legal environment I’ve known for over two decades in Ontario.
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August 07, 2025
Stratford stands strong in Ontario Court of Appeal decision on side-yard squabbles
The case of 2708959 Ontario Inc. v. Stratford (City), 2025 ONCA 512 is an important decision for Ontario municipalities dealing with encroachments — when a private building or structure extends onto municipal land, such as a road allowance. This case clarifies what municipalities can do when they discover such encroachments, even if they have existed for many years. The Court of Appeal held that the municipality’s issuance of building permits did not expressly approve the encroachments.
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August 07, 2025
Lack of cross-examination of videotaped statement leads to overturned conviction
On the night of Saturday, May 28, 2022, in downtown Prince Albert, Sask., Barry Pruden and his daughter were riding their bikes when a group of individuals confronted them along a riverside path behind the Prince Albert Provincial Court. One of the assailants, later identified as K.R., had a knife and stabbed Pruden multiple times.
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August 06, 2025
N.L. supports ‘Pathways’ to employment for those out of criminal justice system
Newfoundland and Labrador is giving more than half a million dollars towards an advocacy group’s efforts to strengthen job opportunities for those who have gone through the criminal justice system.
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August 06, 2025
Mitigating human rights risks in hiring and firing: A practical guide for employers
Hiring and termination are the two most consequential moments in the employee life cycle. These actions not only impact workplace culture and morale but can also carry significant legal liability for employers, particularly under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Too often, employers encounter human rights complaints not because of deliberate wrongdoing, but because of rushed decisions or a lack of understanding of legal requirements.