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District Attorney Fired by Trump for Upholding the Law
in Blog
People who choose to work in the legal field usually have a very strong affinity for not only the law itself, but also for the rule of law. That is, they understand that our society functions on the basis of laws, rather than arbitrary power and chaos. Any attorney being sworn in to his provincial or state Bar must swear an oath to uphold this fundamental principle. Sally Yates is a lawyer. And until very recently, she was the United States Attorney General. As acting D.A, her job was essentially to counsel the President on the legality of his orders through...
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The Textalyzer: a 21st century Breathalyzer
in Blog
It's no real secret, texting and driving has become almost as (if not even more) prevalent than drinking and driving. While similar in nature, they both seem to stand on opposite ends of a spectrum. Socially speaking, texting and driving is generally considered to be harmless and somewhat acceptable while drinking and driving is now almost unanimously stigmatized. And legally speaking, texting and driving has much less weight than drinking and driving does. In fact, it isn't even a criminal infraction. So while a standard DUI can land you up to 5 years in jail, here in Quebec texting and driving will only result...
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Judge Refuses $100,000 Lawyer Bonus
in Blog
A Superior Court judge has recently ruled that a seasoned defense attorney, who sued a client for a $100,000 performance bonus after he was acquitted of drug charges, is entitled to only $20,000. The client, unidentified, came from a very wealthy family with deep political ties. He had already shelled out $52,000 in legal fees, and was ready to pay an additional $12,000. But he drew the line when he saw the $100,000 bill. There was apparently some sort of agreement between the lawyer and client regarding a bonus, but no amount was specified beforehand. And this is what the judge took issue...
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Liberals to Reduce Use of Mandatory Minimum Sentences
in Blog
Slowly but surely, we're beginning to see Justin Trudeau & co. undo much of the wrongs for which Harper's Conservative government is now infamous, particularly with regards to criminal justice. One of the most contentious chapters of Harper's "tough-on-crime" agenda was the imposition of 60 mandatory minimum sentences during their decade in power, in areas ranging from sex crimes to gun possession. In theory, such minimal sentences were supposed to deter potential criminals. In reality, all they did was take away the judges' discretionary powers and increase the number of Canadians behind bars. Newly appointed Justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould had this to say on the matter: I think that a...
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Virtual Reality Allows Jurors to Explore Crime Scenes
The jury experience, much like almost every other facet of the criminal justice system, is sadly still entrenched in the past. Technology has barely begun to make its way into modern courthouses, resulting in long delays and inefficient procedures. Crime scene reconstruction practices mainly rely on the use of photos, videos, medical records, hand-drawn sketches, and even 3D-rendered animations to give jurors an idea of exactly what went down at the scene of the crime. But the main problem with all of these tools is that, at best, they can merely offer an approximation of reality, not reality itself. Here's where Mehzeb Chowdhury...
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Amazon Patents Police Traffic Stop Drone
The future is now, ladies and gents. Tech giant Amazon just recently secured a patent for small shoulder-mounted police drones. Referred to as "unmanned aerial vehicle assistants", these devices could be used to provide enhanced support for police during routine traffic stops. Unlike body-mounted cameras such as GoPros, these drones would allow police to examine a pulled-over vehicle before even approaching in person. This has obvious implications on the safety of citizens as well as police officers. On the flipside, without appropriate policies and accountability, it wouldn't be hard to imagine significant breaches of our civil liberties. If outfitted with surveillance mechanisms, these...
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Jail Time for Cheating on Exam
in Blog, Criminal Code
We've all thought about it. Whether it was a few scribbled notes on the inside of a palm or a quick peek over at a classmate's test sheet, cheating is something many have considered or actually done during their academic careers. In fact, one of the most famous sports adages of all time goes something like this: "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying". What many people don't know, however, is that cheating can get you into very big trouble with the law. That's right, we're not just talking about an academic suspension and an F on your report card. As...
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