R. v. Reilly
- Citation
- 2020 SCC 27
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Canada
- Court
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Decision
- 13 October 2020
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada / On Appeal From the Alberta Court of Appeal; Judgment Restoring Trial Judge's Stay of Proceedings
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Decision
- 13 October 2020
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada / On Appeal From the Alberta Court of Appeal; Judgment Restoring Trial Judge's Stay of Proceedings
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The trial judge's unchallenged finding that the s.503 breach was systemic and ongoing justified the discretionary remedy of a stay of proceedings; the Court of Appeal had no basis to interfere with that exercise of discretion, so the appeal is allowed and the stay is restored.
Court disposition
Appeal allowed; stay of proceedings restored.
Orders
- Appeal allowed
- Stay of proceedings restored
02
Material facts
Parties
Ryan Curtis Reilly
Appellant Counsel: Deborah Hatch and Michael BatesHer Majesty The Queen
Respondent Counsel: Jason R. RussellDirector of Public Prosecutions
Intervener Counsel: Éric MarcouxAttorney General of Ontario
Intervener Counsel: David FriesenAttorney General of Quebec
Intervener Counsel: Catheryne BélangerAboriginal Legal Services
Intervener Counsel: Jonathan RudinCriminal Lawyers' Association (Ontario)
Intervener Counsel: Boris BytenskyCriminal Trial Lawyers' Association
Intervener Counsel: Daniel J. SongAssociation québécoise des avocats et avocates de la défense
Intervener Counsel: Ariane Gagnon-RocqueAmounts and remedies
- Case Number: 38,785
03
Procedural history
Posture
Criminal Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada / On Appeal From the Alberta Court of Appeal; Judgment Restoring Trial Judge's Stay of Proceedings
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether detention beyond 24 hours contrary to s.503 constituted a Charter breach warranting a remedy
- 02
Whether a stay of proceedings is an appropriate individual remedy for a systemic and ongoing breach
- 03
Whether the Court of Appeal erred in substituting its view for the trial judge's discretionary decision to stay
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The trial judge found the breach of s.503 was systemic and ongoing and not being satisfactorily addressed; given that finding a stay of proceedings was a necessary and proportionate remedy to vindicate Charter rights.
- Respondent
- The Crown conceded the Charter breach but argued that a stay of proceedings is an inappropriate individual remedy for systemic breaches and that the Court of Appeal was justified in setting aside the trial judge's stay.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, s.503(1)(a)
Section 503(1)(a) protects the right not to be detained beyond 24 hours without being brought before a justice
- 02
R. v. Babos, 2014 SCC 16, para. 41
A stay of proceedings is a discretionary Charter remedy available where necessary to vindicate rights, including in systemic contexts; appellate courts should not interfere with a trial judge's exercise of discretion absent a basis to do so
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The trial judge's unchallenged finding that the s.503 breach was systemic and ongoing justified the discretionary remedy of a stay of proceedings; the Court of Appeal had no basis to interfere with that exercise of discretion, so the appeal is allowed and the stay is restored.
Court disposition
Appeal allowed; stay of proceedings restored.
- Appeal allowed
- Stay of proceedings restored
Source and reliance status
Supreme Court of Canada · 13 October 2020
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
Supreme Court of Canada
Judgment· 13 October 2020
R. v. Reilly Collection Supreme Court Judgments Date 2020-10-13 Neutral citation 2020 SCC 27 Case number 38785 Judges Wagner, Richard; Abella, Rosalie Silberman; Moldaver, Michael J.; Karakatsanis, Andromache; Côté, Suzanne; Brown, Russell; Rowe, Malcolm; Martin, Sheilah; Kasirer, Nicholas On appeal from Alberta Notes SCC Case Information Decision Content
SUPREME COURT OF CANADA Citation: R. v. Reilly, 2020 SCC 27 Appeal Heard: October 13, 2020 Judgment Rendered: October 13, 2020 Docket: 38785 Between: Ryan Curtis Reilly Appellant and Her Majesty The Queen Respondent - and - Director of Public Prosecutions, Attorney General of Ontario, Attorney General of Quebec, Aboriginal Legal Services, Criminal Lawyers’ Association (Ontario), Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association and Association québécoise des avocats et avocates de la défense Interveners Coram: Wagner C.J. and Abella, Moldaver, Karakatsanis, Côté, Brown, Rowe, Martin and Kasirer JJ. Unanimous Judgment Read By: (paras. 1 to 2) Brown J. Note: This document is subject to editorial revision before its reproduction in final form in the Canada Supreme Court Reports. r. v. reilly Ryan Curtis Reilly Appellant v. Her Majesty The Queen Respondent and Director of Public Prosecutions, Attorney General of Ontario, Attorney General of Quebec, Aboriginal Legal Services, Criminal Lawyers’ Association (Ontario), Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association and Association québécoise des avocats et avocates de la défense Interveners Indexed as: R. v. Reilly 2020 SCC 27 File No.: 38785. 2020: October 13. Present: Wagner C.J. and Abella, Moldaver, Karakatsanis, Côté, Brown, Rowe, Martin and Kasirer JJ. on appeal from the court of appeal for alberta Charter of Rights — Remedy — Stay of proceedings —
Systemic breach — Accused arrested and detained longer than 24 hours before being taken before justice for bail hearing, contrary to s. 503(1) (a) of Criminal Code — Crown conceding that accused’s Charter rights breached by detention —Trial judge finding that accused held for more than 24 hours because of systemic and ongoing problem in province and staying proceedings — Court of Appeal holding that stay inappropriate as individual remedy for systemic Charter breaches and setting it aside — No basis for Court of Appeal to interfere with trial judge’s decision — Stay restored. Cases Cited Referred to: R. v. Babos, 2014 SCC 16, [2014] 1 S.C.R.
309. Statutes and Regulations Cited Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, s. 503 . APPEAL from a judgment of the Alberta Court of Appeal (Martin, Slatter and Pentelechuk JJ.A.), 2019 ABCA 212, 88 Alta. L.R. (6th) 17, 376 C.C.C. (3d) 497, [2019] 9 W.W.R. 60, [2019] A.J. No. 676 (QL), 2019 CarswellAlta 1016 (WL Can.), setting aside a stay of proceedings ordered by Cochard Prov. Ct. J., 2018 ABPC 85, 411 C.R.R. (2d) 10, [2018] A.J. No. 482 (QL), 2018 CarswellAlta 783 (WL Can.). Appeal allowed. Deborah Hatch and Michael Bates, for the appellant. Jason R. Russell, for the respondent. Éric Marcoux, for the intervener the Director of Public Prosecutions. David Friesen, for the intervener the Attorney General of Ontario. Catheryne Bélanger, for the intervener the Attorney General of Quebec. Jonathan Rudin, for the intervener Aboriginal Legal Services. Boris Bytensky, for the intervener Criminal Lawyers’ Association (Ontario). Daniel J. Song, for the intervener Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association. Ariane Gagnon-Rocque, for the intervener Association québécoise des avocats et avocates de la défense. The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by [1] Brown J. — In these circumstances, which include the trial judge’s finding at para. 63 of her reasons (2018 ABPC 85, 411 C.R.R. (2d) 10) that the breach of s. 503 of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46 , was an instance of a systemic
and ongoing problem that was not being satisfactorily addressed, we are all of the view that there was no basis for the Court of Appeal to interfere with the trial judge’s exercise of discretion: see R. v. Babos, 2014 SCC 16, [2014] 1 S.C.R. 309, at para. 41. [2] The appeal is allowed and the stay restored. Judgment accordingly. Solicitors for the appellant: Deborah Hatch Law Office, Edmonton; Ruttan Bates, Calgary. Solicitor for the respondent: Attorney General of Alberta, Edmonton. Solicitor for the intervener the Director of Public Prosecutions: Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Ottawa. Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of Ontario: Attorney General of Ontario, Toronto. Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of Quebec: Attorney General of Quebec, Québec. Solicitor for the intervener Aboriginal Legal Services: Aboriginal Legal Services, Toronto. Solicitors for the intervener Criminal Lawyers’ Association (Ontario): Bytensky Shikhman, Toronto. Solicitors for the intervener Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association: Pringle Chivers Sparks Teskey, Vancouver. Solicitors for the intervener Association québécoise des avocats et avocates de la défense: Roy & Charbonneau, Québec.
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