Chris Sewrattan recently published a 44-page article in the Manitoba Law Journal on the differences between the hearsay rule’s historical rationale and current application.
Welcome to My Blog
Chris Sewrattan comments on judicial impropriety in The Lawyer’s Daily
Chris Sewrattan was recently interviewed by The Lawyer’s Daily on inappropriate conduct by a trial judge in R. v. Chambers, 2019 ONCA 736.
Fool Me Once… Prior Consistent Statements
Testifying in court can be confusing. There are rules of evidence that prevent people from saying what many might think is important information. In this blog post, I discuss a development in a counter-intuitive testimonial rule, the inadmissibility of prior consistent statements.
This post is for everyone: people unfamiliar with the law, appeal lawyers, and evidence scholars. It’s a short discussion in which I look at a development and point out some cases in which the rule is applied. None of what I write is legal advice.
Canada’s New Impaired Driving Laws
One topic discussed during holiday parties this year will be Canada’s new impaired driving laws. What are they? How do they affect motorists? What happens if you drink and drive? This blog post will answer some of these questions.
Chris Sewrattan Re-appointed to the Licence Appeal Tribunal
Proud to announce that the Ontario government has re-appointed Chris Sewrattan to the Licence Appeal Tribunal. Chris Sewrattan has adjudicated cases at the Tribunal for the past two years. During this time, he has written over 40 reported decisions.
Criminal law, driving and possession of marijuana – The Countdown to Legalization
Chris Sewrattan is featured in a Law Times report, speaking about the upcoming marihuana legalization.
Brave New World: The Tulloch Report and Police Misconduct
Chris Sewrattan recently wrote an article for For The Defence, a publication written for and widely read by criminal defence lawyers. In the article, Mr. Sewrattan examines the recently released Tulloch Report; specifically, how the police complaints process can assist defence lawyers in litigation. The article is available in print and online through WestLaw Canada.
Sewrattan Law Award
Congratulations to Shivani Ramoutar, the recipient of the 2017 Sewrattan Law Award! The Sewrattan Law Award is given to the graduating student at West Hill Collegiate Institute with the highest mark in Grade 12 Law. Shivani demonstrated a keen interest in the law class and was an exceptional advocate at the 2017 OJEN Mock Trial Tournament.
Welcome Reyam!
We are proud to welcome Reyam Zager to the lawfirm. Reyam is a third year law student at Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law completing her four-month practice placement at the office.
Can You Hear Me Now? Conceptions of Privacy in Section 8
The Canadian Journal of Law and Technology recently published an article I wrote on the intersection of philosophy and privacy. The article was initially presented at the McGill Graduate Conference in Law – Legal Challenges in Cyberspace in Montréal, Canada.
Appointment to the Ontario Parole Board
I am happy to announce that the Attorney General of Ontario has appointed me to the Ontario Parole Board. As described on the Parole Board’s website:
The Ontario Parole Board (OPB) promotes public safety by deciding on the return of offenders to the community through supervised conditional release. As an independent quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, the OPB has the sole authority in Ontario to:
- grant parole
- deny parole
- cancel parole before release
- revoke parole
Public safety is the guiding principle underlying all conditional release decision-making, and the OPB is also committed to the rights of victims and the fair and individualized risk assessment of each offender.
I am excited to start this new opportunity. I will serve on the Parole Board on a part-time basis and continue to practice as a criminal defence lawyer full-time.
R. v. Antic, 2017 SCC 27: The stakes are too high for anything less
R. v. Antic, 2017 SCC 27: The stakes are too high for anything less
The Supreme Court of Canada recently released R. v. Antic, 2017 SCC 27. The decision is poised to be a game changer for the law of bail in Canada. I was counsel for the Criminal Lawyers’ Association in this case along with John Norris. We asked the Supreme Court to tell bail courts that the default position for an accused person is their unconditional release, and beyond that the accused person should be released on the least restrictive conditions unless it is necessary to deny them bail. The Supreme Court accepted this submission.
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