Recent Canadian court decisions, explained in plain language. Every summary here covers a real, published ruling and links to the official court record so you can read it yourself.
In a unanimous ruling with wide implications for anyone dealing with a government tribunal, the court struck down a statutory clause that tried to block judicial review, holding that the Constitution guarantees courts the final say on whether government action is lawful.
The Supreme Court refused to hear a First Nation's appeal of a New Brunswick ruling that Aboriginal title cannot be declared over privately owned land - a decision the federal government says will shape arguments in the ongoing Cowichan litigation in British Columbia.
Canada's highest court has recognised a standalone civil claim for intimate partner violence, allowing survivors to sue for damages over a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour rather than only over individual physical incidents.
Homeowners whose flooded house was a total loss could not claim the extra cost of meeting a conservation authority's rebuilding requirements, because their policy specifically excluded costs of complying with regulations.
The court clarified how trial judges should weigh an accused person's past convictions before letting a jury hear about them, holding that youth records and prior violent offences should have been kept out - though the conviction still stood.
These summaries are written by LawDB for general information and are not legal advice. They describe published decisions of Canadian courts and do not represent the work, results, or claims of any firm listed in this directory.