Family
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June 11, 2024
Lawyers’ legal and ethical dilemma in the digital age
A U.S. court video depicting a man attending a virtual hearing concerning his suspended driver’s licence while visibly operating a motor vehicle has garnered widespread attention on mainstream and social media platforms. The video went viral due to its humorous and paradoxical nature, yet it serves as a poignant reminder for us in the legal profession of our duties in the digital age.
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June 10, 2024
Elder law: What it is and why it’s important
Elder law, broadly speaking, is the area of law focused on legal issues from the perspective of the older adult whose rights are in issue. When it comes to elder law itself, the legal issues that arise and the needs of the clientele are unique.
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June 10, 2024
Trust me. I’m a lawyer | Norman Douglas
This is my fifth column for Law360 Canada. I think it's time to ruffle some feathers on the golden goose. When I was a lawyer, I didn't care for lawyers’ jokes, but loved the ones that made fun of judges. When I became a judge, I loved lawyers’ jokes (even made up a few), but thought jokes about judges were offensive. Now I’m retired. I love jokes about both professions. I am going to tackle two issues that are linked together like Bonnie and Clyde, Jesse and Frank (only you cowpokes out there will know their last name), Butch Cavendish and John Reid (gotcha). I could go on, but you get the picture.
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June 10, 2024
Cellphones in Ontario schools: ‘I can do it with a broken heart’ | Marvin Zuker
“Cause I’m a real tough kid, I can handle my s---," says an ode on Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. “I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it’s an art.” — So very true; thank goodness for our teachers and the everyday sacrifices they make to make it work.
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June 07, 2024
New innovator-in-residence at Ontario Bar Association
The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) announced in a June 5 news release that it had appointed Colin Lachance as the innovator-in-residence for the 2024-25 year.
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June 07, 2024
SCC rules on interplay of informer privilege & open courts in so-called secret trial case
The Supreme Court of Canada says no “secret” trial occurred during the in-camera prosecution of a confidential police informer in Quebec, but it has ordered 9-0 that a redacted trial judgment should be made public, which contains no information that might identify the police informer in breach of what the top court has previously described as the “extremely broad and powerful” informer privilege.
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June 07, 2024
Collaborative approaches in estate litigation: The rise of ADR
The legal field has increasingly favoured Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods in estate litigation, highlighting a shift towards collaborative processes to resolve conflicts. ADR methods include mediation, judicial dispute resolution, arbitration and hybrid approaches like Med-Arb, which blend mediation and arbitration. The increasing use of ADR in various legal contexts highlights its adaptability and effectiveness, proving its relevance beyond commercial disputes to the intricate field of estate litigation.
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June 06, 2024
New associate joins Clark Wilson
A news release from Clark Wilson announced the addition of Alexa Benzinger to the firm’s family law group in British Columbia.
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June 05, 2024
Court refuses to recharacterize bankrupt husband’s unpaid debt to wife as spousal support
In Davidson v. Davidson 2024 BCSC 331 the parties separated after eight years of marriage. In a consent order in September 2020, they agreed that Allan Davidson would purchase the parties’ family home in Fort McMurray and assume the mortgage, while Alysa Davidson would retain a home in Vernon, British Columbia.
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June 05, 2024
4 new judges appointed to Ontario Court of Justice
Four new judges were appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice, according to a June 3 news release from the provincial government. Effective June 13, Michael David Frank is assigned to Windsor, Joseph Hanna is assigned to Oshawa, Courtney Harris is assigned to Chatham and Liana Marcon is assigned to Oshawa.