The Complete Brief
-
June 26, 2025
Grey market revisited
As asked in a recent decision of the Federal Court, when is a TOYOTA bumper no longer a TOYOTA brand product? According to the plaintiffs, when it’s damaged during shipment by a grey marketer. The defendant disagrees (Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation) v. Marrand Auto Inc., 2025 FC 1105).
-
June 26, 2025
Interpreting class gifts: Impact of will drafting on vesting
Class gifts can be a very effective tool for will-drafters, given the unique advantages that these gifts possess. Ideally suited to giving assets to multiple beneficiaries, one of the perks of class gifts is that they will not lapse if a member of the beneficiary class predeceases the testator. Rather, the gift will simply be distributed among the remaining class members.
-
June 26, 2025
Ontario law society benchers tackle governance, family law reforms at June meeting
Benchers of the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) met at convocation on June 25 with their newly re-elected leader pledging to restore trust in the regulator after a pay scandal surrounding its former CEO.
-
June 26, 2025
CUSTODY, PARENTING, AND ACCESS - Best interests of child - Capacity or conditions of parents - Parental alienation
Appeal by appellant (Father) against a decision awarding primary care to respondent (Mother). Following the breakdown of the parties’ marriage, they initially shared equal parenting time for their two children. However, the children remained solely with the father due to unsubstantiated allegations of sexual abuse against the mother's boyfriend.
-
June 26, 2025
FedCt unveils new practice guidelines; cuts oral, written argument in visa, work & study permit JRs
The Federal Court this week “paused” its study permit pilot project and announced that, for judicial reviews of denials of temporary resident visas, study permits and work permits, the default maximum time for hearings will be reduced to 45 minutes and the default maximum written submissions will be limited to 20 pages, starting Sept. 2.
-
June 26, 2025
Recent trends in U.S. immigration: Is there cause for concern?
As public interest in all things immigration-related in the U.S. continues to grow, there is no shortage of published information on every possible or potential scenario that could impact non-U.S. citizens. However, not all cautionary advice is relevant or applicable to a majority of travellers going to the U.S.
-
June 26, 2025
Appeal court recognizes convicted mom’s progress in fentanyl case
Can defence counsel in a criminal appeal claim victory only if the client is acquitted? Arguably, defence counsel Thomas Balka achieved a significant win by persuading the Ontario Court of Appeal to examine the term “specific deterrence” closely. Balka appeared for Sarah Richer in the recently released case of R. v. Richer, 2025 ONCA 439.
-
June 25, 2025
N.W.T. seeks input on regulations for new missing persons legislation
The Government of the Northwest Territories is seeking residents’ feedback on new legislation designed to help support police investigate cases of people gone missing.
-
June 25, 2025
Federal Court of Appeal stays order to depopulate B.C. farm’s ostriches for avian flu
The Federal Court of Appeal has allowed a motion to stay the destruction of ostriches on a B.C. farm where cases of avian flu H5N1 were found, pending the determination of the decision on appeal.
-
June 25, 2025
Deaths from illegal drug supply fell 17% in 2024; thousands who died were men, many in their 30s
There were more than 7,000 opioid-related drug toxicity deaths in Canada last year — 20 people per day — an overdose crisis primarily driven by a toxic illegal drug supply, according to the latest data reported by the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health and the Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners.