The Defence Toolkit

The Defence Toolkit serves up summaries and commentary on the editor’s choice of the three best Canadian criminal defence cases every week. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to get notified of new posts.

The Defence Toolkit – September 5, 2026: How Many Prosecutors Allowed?

by Pawel Milczarek | 5 September 2026 | 244.2(1)(b) - Reckless Discharge, Charter s24(2), Sexual History s 276 | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Rouse, 2026 SKCA 91: #complainant counsel, Sheppard v R, 2026 NBCA 95: #reckless discharge, R v Gauthier, 2026 ONCA 569: 24(2): unconnected #breaches R v Rouse, 2026 SKCA 91 [August 21, 2026] Limiting the Role of Complainant Counsel and Allowing Cross-Examination on Sexual History [Reasons by McCreary J.A. with Caldwell and Kalmakoff JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Complainant’s counsel under the sexual history provisions of the Criminal Code has a limited...

The Defence Toolkit – August 1, 2026: Theory of the Offence

by Pawel Milczarek | 1 August 2026 | Cell Phones, Charter s.8, Crown legal theory, NCRMD | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v Massicotte, 2026 ONCA 5269: #Crown theory , R v Suksawat, 2026 ABKB 536: s.8 grounds for #phones, R v Adriatico, 2026 ONSC 4079: NCRMD #morally wrong R v Massicotte, 2026 ONCA 526 [July 20, 2026] Court Must Evaluate Crown Legal Theory of the Offence Unless they Give Notice [Reasons by Trotter J.A. with Sossin and J. Copeland JJ.A. concurring] AUTHOR'S NOTE: The adversarial justice system depends upon the parties identifying the factual and legal issues in...

The Defence Toolkit – July 25, 2026: Sleepwalking

by Pawel Milczarek | 25 July 2026 | Charter 11(b), Possession, Sexual Assault | 0 Comments

This week's top three summaries: R v DW, 2026 ABKB 519: #sleepwalk sex , R v Samandari-Matof, 2026 ABCA 55: #possession, R v Olafson, 2026 ABCJ 92: 11(b) court #overbooking R v DW, 2026 ABKB 519 [July 17, 2026] Sexual Assault Voluntariness: Sleepwalking [A.K. Akgungor J.] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Voluntariness is an essential element of every criminal offence. Although often discussed alongside actus reus and mens rea, it is analytically distinct: the Crown must prove that the accused's conduct was the...

The Defence Toolkit – July 11, 2026: The Unsavoury Witness

Jul 11, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Drake, 2026 NSCA 48: Vetrovec #confirmation, R v VRRR, 2026 MBCA 56: human #assumptions , R v Murphy and Wright, 2026 NSCA 51: #judicial notice mistrial R v Drake, 2026 NSCA 48 [June 17, 2026] Vetrovec: Confirmatory Evidence...

The Defence Toolkit – July 4, 2026: Police Discipline Disclosure

Jul 4, 2026

This week's top three summaries: Edmonton (PS) v McKee, 2026 SCC 24: #discipline disclosure, R v Brennan, 2026 ONCA 459: circumstantial #possession, R v Sandhu, 2026 BCCA 268: #admissions and circular reasoning Edmonton (Police Service) v McKee, 2026 SCC 24 [June 26,...

The Defence Toolkit – June 26, 2026: DNA Retention

Jun 26, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Vu, 2026 ONCA 429: #DNA retention, R v Ghandi, 2026 ONCA 407: virtual trial ID, R v AK, 2026 NUCA 4: rushed #deliberations R v Vu, 2026 ONCA 429 [June 17, 2026] Sentencing: Conditional Discharges and DNA Retention [Reasons by...

The Defence Toolkit – June 20, 2026: Fingerprints

Jun 20, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Kirkey, 2026 BCSC 973: #fingerprints, R v Esrabian, 2026 CanLii 53667: faint #hope, R v Slade, 2026 ONCA 381: command #hallucinations R v Kirkey, 2026 BCSC 973 [May 15, 2026] Circumstantial Evidence: Fingerprints [Gibb-Carsley J.]...

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The Defence Toolkit – June 12, 2026: Trust and Authority

Jun 12, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Duke, 2026 SKCA 65: position of #trust, R v CATSA, 2026 ONSC 3077: general #warrant, R v Berg, 2026 SCC 21: W(D) trumps JJRD R v Duke, 2026 SKCA 65 [May 25, 2026] Position of Trust and Authority: Dissipation of Authority Over Time...

The Defence Toolkit – June 6, 2026: Other Officer’s Conclusions

Jun 6, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Okich, 2026 ABCJ 76: s.8 #reasonable grounds, R v Brashko, 2026 ABKB 407: #circumstantial evidence, R v Simpson, 2026 ONSC 2940: #remote trial R v Okich, 2026 ABCJ 76 [May 20, 2026] Charter s.8/9: Reasonable Grounds for Arrest...

The Defence Toolkit – May 30, 2026: Incidental Search

May 30, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Munn, 2026 ABKB 253: s.8 incident to #arrest, R c Gagnon, 2026 QCCA 583: s.12 man min CP, R v Bremner, 2026 ABCA 77: #circumstantial ID R v Munn, 2026 ABKB 353 [May 7, 2026] Charter s.8: Search Incidental to Arrest [W.N. Renke J.]...

The Defence Toolkit – May 23, 2026: Guns in a Locker

May 23, 2026

This week's top three summaries: R v Paddy, 2026 SKCA 27: #prejudice v probative, R v ML, 2026 ONCA 339: #principled exp'n, R v DP, 2026 NSCA 34: #reasons on credibility R v Paddy, 2026 SKCA 27 [February 20, 2026] Conduct outside Indictment Period: Prejudicial Value...

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