Blog

Any person charged with an offence has the right to be tried within a reasonable time. Section 11(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes the stigmatization, loss of privacy, and stress and anxiety created by the cloud of suspicion that accompanies criminal proceedings. It also recognizes that the right to a fair trial is protected by attempting to ensure that proceedings take place while evidence is available and fresh. Delay can prejudice the ability of the def

Murder is the most serious offence in the Criminal Code. When an accused is charged with murder , the Criminal Code requires the trial be in front of a jury unless both sides agree to have a judge sit alone. The Canadian jury system has been described as the "most familiar symbol and manifestation of the Rule of Law in this country". The jury brings to the system the "values and insights of ordinary citizens" as well as their "common sense". In a jury trial, the jurors meet