COVID-19 and Civil Jury Trials
Prior to the closing of Ontario’s Court Houses in March of this year, it could take up to two years for an injured person to get their case before a jury, after what was often several years of case preparation. Priority was given to criminal and family trials and assigning court rooms and judges to […]
Ontario Courts Introduce CaseLines Document Management System
As part of the technological upgrading of the court system in Ontario, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently announced that a two-week test of CaseLines, a cloud-based document sharing and storage platform, will be launched on Aug. 10, 2020 for certain civil motions and pre-trial conferences held in Toronto. CaseLines use will be expanded […]
COVID-19: Expanded Business Premises and Expanded Liability
Expanded Patios Many businesses in Ontario are struggling financially because of the effects of COVID-19 on the ability of people to shop, or go out for a meal or an evening of entertainment. In order to assist some of these businesses, many Ontario cities are permitting restaurants and bars to expand their patios onto sidewalks and […]
Video Conferencing in Examinations For Discovery: Ontario Court Embraces Use of Video Based Litigation
With the need to respect “social distancing”, civil litigation in Ontario has slowed noticeably. While lawyers learn how to utilize video conferencing technologies so that they can arrange meetings and participate in virtual mediations, other aspects of the litigation process have not leant themselves to virtual work arounds. One of these is the Examination for […]
What Outside Activities are You Allowed to Do While Physical Distancing?
The City of Ottawa’s Bylaw Enforcement Department recently released a clarification following a news report that a man in Orléans had been issued a $700 ticket for “playing soccer with his son in an empty field.” The clarification said that the man had only been issued a “verbal warning” for playing soccer with his son […]
Is there Personal Liability for Infecting Someone with Coronavirus?
As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads across Canada, new legal questions about this lethal illness are going to arise. For example, what happens if a person knows that they have COVID-19 and fails to take the necessary precautions, with the result that they spread the infection and infect others? Can they be sued by the people […]
Family Protection Coverage Insurance
Motor vehicle liability insurance is mandatory in Ontario and there are certain types of coverage which also are mandatory. All policies must have a minimum of $200,000 in third-party liability coverage, known as limits. Third-party liability limits protect your assets from claims by anyone who may sue you after a motor vehicle accident. You can […]
Unidentified Motorist Accidents
What happens if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and the at-fault driver fails to remain at the scene and cannot be identified and located? Fortunately, there is insurance coverage in Ontario for individuals involved in a motor vehicle accident with an unidentified motorist and vehicle. You can make an insurance claim even […]
Adverse Costs Insurance – A Recoverable Disbursement
A successful party to a lawsuit is generally entitled to recover “costs” from the unsuccessful party, including a contribution towards their legal fees and disbursements. As purchasing adverse cost insurance becomes a standard practice for Plaintiffs, the question arises as to whether a successful Plaintiff can recover the premium for the insurance from an unsuccessful […]
