Before September 2019, jury selection in criminal trials could be challenged by both the accused and the Crown. Section 634(1) of the Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46 previously permitted both the accused and the Crown to challenge a limited number of jurors peremptorily.
In early October, the Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC” or “The Court”) heard submissions in R v Chouhan (Docket Number 39062, Heard on 7 October 2020) [Chouhan] on the constitutionality of the federal government’s abolition of peremptory challenges for jury empanelment under the Criminal Code, RSC 1985 c C-46 [Code].
Last year, TheCourt.ca published an article discussing when a jury member’s actions could be egregious enough to nullify a verdict. This week, in R v Dowholis, 2016 ONCA 801 [Dowholis], the Court of Appeal for Ontario (“ONCA”) dealt with the actions of yet another rogue juror. This sexual assault case called into question whether the […]
In R v Noureddine, 2015 ONCA 770 [Noureddine], the trial judge misunderstood how juries are selected by appointing static triers, rather than rotating triers per section 640(2.1) of the Criminal Code, RSC, 1985, c C-46. Facts The appellants, Mr. Noureddine and Mr. Sheridan, were both charged with first degree murder. Both were acquitted, but subsequently […]