Building a Record for the Appeal
February 10, 2023 By Brian Babcock What just might be worse than losing your case at trial? Winning the case and then having to go back to try it all over again because not only does the Court of Appeal grant the appeal, but they also decide that the factual record from the trial is […]
What Is Negligent Misrepresentation?
February 4, 2023 By Jonathon Clark We have mentioned the phrase “negligent misrepresentation” in several articles so far. We have yet to discuss negligent misrepresentation in an article specifically dedicated to the subject. That probably leaves some of you wondering “what is negligent misrepresentation?”, either because you landed here by Googling the term or because […]
A Million Dollar Parking Ticket?
January 27, 2023 By Mark Mikulasik THE ISSUE No, not really a million-dollar parking ticket. Just a million dollar fine for civil contempt arising from a dispute about illegal parking. The hurt in your pocketbook would be just as painful. THE CASE In Caledon (Town) v. Darzi Holdings Ltd., the individual appellant’s construction company improperly […]
To Win, You Need Evidence
January 27, 2023 By Nick Melchiorre Leaving a judge in a quandary is never a good thing. Lawsuits over aborted real estate transactions seemed to be popping up almost as often as estate litigation these days. This is particularly true in the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe, but it’s bound to be on […]
Damages When The Deal Does Not Close
January 13, 2023 By Nick Melchiorre THE ISSUE If you are the seller of a house and the buyer fails to close, how do you prove your damages? If you said that it is simply the difference between the two sale prices if you took reasonable steps to sell the property in an arm’s length […]
Criminal & Civil Contempt and Intent
December 28, 2022 By Jonathon Clark We have written before about contempt of court, and its importance in maintaining respect for the administration of justice as well as to promote the enforcement of court orders. To refresh your memory, the elements of contempt are: the order alleged to have been breached “must state clearly and unequivocally […]
Hearsay Overheard
December 28, 2022 By Nick Melchiorre Does your voice carry? I know mine sure does. I am known for being the opposite a very quiet speaker. THE CASE In R. v. Schneider, the accused was charged with second degree murder after the victim’s body was recovered by police in a hidden suitcase following a tip from […]
Virtual Hearings Are Here To Stay
December 18, 2022 By Brian Babcock I hope that we can all agree that the pandemic was mostly terrible. However, there were some bright spots of change. THE ISSUE As we emerge from the pandemic, even if COVID joins the list of viruses to be avoided at less than pandemic levels, one of the questions […]
Fiction, Reality, Fraud and Privilege
December 3, 2022 By Brian Babcock Have you watched Better Call Saul or Breaking Bad? Do you recall Saul Goodman saying what Walt needed was “not a criminal lawyer but a criminal lawyer”? THE ISSUE What, you may ask, does that have to do with solicitor-client privilege? We have written before about the importance of […]
What is Civil Fraud?
November 28, 2022 By Brian Babcock Fraud is such an ugly word. When most of us think about fraud, we think about criminal activity and big headlines on our favorite financial websites. Although fraud can certainly be a crime, the same term is used in is lawsuits between individuals or corporations to describe improper activity […]