Canada Case Law

R. v. Puttonen

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

Although the conduct of Steele and Melville on January 6, 2026 displayed indifference and was calculated to delay and disrupt the proceeding, the judge exercised discretion not to convict for contempt after weighing mitigating factors—Crown's prior agreement to proceed on January 7, the subsequent stay of proceedings, a sincere apology by Steele, and the overall consequences—which collectively made a contempt conviction inappropriate in all the circumstances.

Source excerpt

• Contempt of court
• Adjournment applications
• Disclosure obligations
• Duty of counsel to the court
• Double-booking
• Jordan delay

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Rivard c. Le Roi

Court

Tax Court of Canada

La Cour canadienne de l'impôt a ordonné aux procureurs du requérant de payer personnellement 625 $ en dépens pour leur absence à l'audience du 10 juillet 2025.

• Extension of time
• Costs
• Sanctions against counsel
• Failure to appear
• Cessation of representation
• Failure-to-appear

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D.L.P. v. H.E.P.

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

The court continued Ms. C.’s interim decision-making authority over all parenting matters, finding that minimizing conflict was in the child’s best interests.

• Decision-making authority
• Best interests of the child
• Parental communication
• Parenting coordinators
• Interim relief
• Family-law

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Tweedale v. British Columbia (Attorney General)

Court

British Columbia Court of Appeal

The Court quashed an application to cancel a case-management order requiring a transcript, holding that s. 29 of the Court of Appeal Act does not apply to federal criminal matters.

• Habeas corpus
• Court of appeal act s.29
• Criminal appeal rules
• Jurisdictional limits of provincial legislation
• Case management orders
• Habeas-corpus

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Harper v. Harper

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

Application to vary a parenting order was partly granted: the Court found some material change, but rejected a move to primary residence and 50/50 time.

• Variation of parenting order
• Material change in circumstances
• Mediation clause
• Misuse of court process (s.221)
• Holiday parenting time
• Best interests of the child

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Jules Chartier, Suzanne Chartier v. The King

Court

Tax Court of Canada

Because the respondent did not file a reply and did not appear at the scheduled hearing despite notice, the Court applied the Tax Court of Canada Act provisions, relevant Rules, and the Poulton precedent and concluded that the appeals should be allowed, the reassessments vacated, and costs awarded to the appellants.

Source excerpt

• Excise tax act part ix
• Reassessment
• Failure to appear
• Tax court rules
• Costs

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R. v. Evong

Court

Supreme Court of Nova Scotia

Although s.669.3 gives a judge appointed to another court authority to continue to preside, that continuation is not mandatory; a judge may divest jurisdiction under s.669.2(1) or by inherent jurisdiction where, as here, the judge's appointment to the Court of Appeal combined with the indeterminate, expanding and potentially lengthy nature of the remaining sentencing proceedings means the judge is unable to continue without unduly encroaching on appellate duties.

Source excerpt

• Criminal code s.669.1-669.3
• Continuation of proceedings after judicial appointment
• Recusal/divestiture of jurisdiction
• Sentencing procedure
• Judicial scheduling

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Y.G. v. C.L.S.

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

The court varied parenting arrangements for two children, placing T. primarily with the respondent and K. primarily with the claimant, with structured communication and counselling orders.

• Parenting arrangements
• Variation of consent order
• Substance abuse and parenting
• Use of monitoring technology (soberlink)
• Views of the child
• Parenting-arrangements

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R. v. B.L.

Court

British Columbia Court of Appeal

The British Columbia Court of Appeal granted anonymization and limited sealing orders in a criminal appeal, holding a single justice had implicit jurisdiction to make them.

• Anonymization orders
• Sealing orders
• Open court principle
• Pardons / record suspension
• Jurisdiction of single justice
• Criminal records act non-disclosure

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R. v. Smith

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

The court accepted a joint submission on sentence in a manslaughter case, imposed 8.5 years’ custody with enhanced credit, and made ancillary orders.

• Joint submission on sentence
• Guilty plea
• Credit for pre‑sentence custody
• Ancillary orders
• Forfeiture and return of exhibits
• Victim surcharge waiver

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