Appeal on Miscarriage of Justice: Difference between revisions

From Criminal Law Notebook
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R v S.R. (1993), [http://canlii.ca/t/1d9xz 1993 CanLII 930] (BC CA), 26 B.C.A.C. 149{{perBCCA|Hollinrake JA}} at para. 27<br>
R v S.R. (1993), [http://canlii.ca/t/1d9xz 1993 CanLII 930] (BC CA), 26 B.C.A.C. 149{{perBCCA|Hollinrake JA}} at para. 27<br>
''R v Noble'' (1996), [http://canlii.ca/t/1wns1 1996 CanLII 8344] (BC CA), 106 CCC (3d) 161{{perBCCA|McEachern JA}} (2:1) at para. 15<br>
''R v Noble'' (1996), [http://canlii.ca/t/1wns1 1996 CanLII 8344] (BC CA), 106 CCC (3d) 161{{perBCCA|McEachern JA}} (2:1) at para. 15<br>
''R v Dobis'' (2002), [http://canlii.ca/t/1dqkj 2002 CanLII 32815] (ON CA), 163 CCC (3d) 259{{perONCA|MacPherson JA}} at para. 19 (Ont. C.A.)<br>
''R v Dobis'' (2002), [http://canlii.ca/t/1dqkj 2002 CanLII 32815] (ON CA), 163 CCC (3d) 259{{perONCA|MacPherson JA}}{{at|19}}(Ont. C.A.)<br>
''R v Doucette'' (C.) (1993), [http://canlii.ca/t/1vbd8 1993 CanLII 5390] (NB CA), 135 N.B.R. (2d) 151{{perNBCA|Hoyt JA}} at para. 5 (C.A.)<br>
''R v Doucette'' (C.) (1993), [http://canlii.ca/t/1vbd8 1993 CanLII 5390] (NB CA), 135 N.B.R. (2d) 151{{perNBCA|Hoyt JA}}{{at|5}}(C.A.)<br>
''R v Le (T.D.)'', [http://canlii.ca/t/frj5d 2011 MBCA 83] (CanLII){{perMBCA|Scott CJ}}{{ats|265 to 324}}<br>
''R v Le (T.D.)'', [http://canlii.ca/t/frj5d 2011 MBCA 83] (CanLII){{perMBCA|Scott CJ}}{{ats|265 to 324}}<br>
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Revision as of 19:50, 21 January 2019

General Principles

Under s.686(1)(a)(iii), the defence may appeal a conviction based on a miscarriage of justice:

686. (1) On the hearing of an appeal against a conviction or against a verdict that the appellant is unfit to stand trial or not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, the court of appeal

(a) may allow the appeal where it is of the opinion that
...
(iii) on any ground there was a miscarriage of justice;

...
R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 686; R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), ss. 145, 203; 1991, c. 43, s. 9; 1997, c. 18, s. 98; 1999, c. 3, s. 52, c. 5, s. 26; 2015, c. 3, s. 54(F).


CCC

A miscarriage of justice may arise in the following circumstances:

  1. R v Morrissey (1995), 97 CCC (3d) 193, 1995 CanLII 3498 (ONCA), per Doherty JA
  2. R v MFT, 2012 BCCA 428 (CanLII), per Neilson JA see para 38 to 46 - improper cross-examination found but no prejudice arose so appeal failed
  3. R v Wiebe, 2012 BCCA 519 (CanLII), per Ryan JA, at para 22

Trial Irregularities

Trial irregularities may amount to an appealable miscarriage of justice where "the cumulative impact of the irregularities outlined above so disrupted the balance between the rights of the accused and those of the prosecution such that 'a well-informed, reasonable person considering the whole of the circumstances would have perceived the trial as being unfair or as appearing to be so'"[1] The considerations will vary on a case-by-case basis.[2]

  1. R v Spier, 2012 ONCA 798 (CanLII), per Rouleau JA at paras 32 and 85
  2. Spier, ibid. at para 32 ("The gravity of the irregularities and the impact of these on trial fairness and the appearance of fairness are to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.)"

Missing Transcript

Not all instances where portions of the trial transcript will warrant a new trial.[1] Generally, it must be established that there was "a serious possibility that there was an error in the missing portion of the transcript, or that the omission deprived the appellant of a ground of appeal" before a new trial will be ordered.[2]

  1. R v Hayes, [1989] 1 SCR 44, 1989 CanLII 108 (SCC), per L'Heureux-Dube J
  2. Hayes, ibid.
    see also R v S.R. (1993), 1993 CanLII 930 (BC CA), 26 B.C.A.C. 149, per Hollinrake JA at para. 27
    R v Noble (1996), 1996 CanLII 8344 (BC CA), 106 CCC (3d) 161, per McEachern JA (2:1) at para. 15
    R v Dobis (2002), 2002 CanLII 32815 (ON CA), 163 CCC (3d) 259, per MacPherson JA, at para 19(Ont. C.A.)
    R v Doucette (C.) (1993), 1993 CanLII 5390 (NB CA), 135 N.B.R. (2d) 151, per Hoyt JA, at para 5(C.A.)
    R v Le (T.D.), 2011 MBCA 83 (CanLII), per Scott CJ, at paras 265 to 324

Sufficiency of Reasons

See also: Sufficiency of Reasons

Issues of sufficiency of reasons can arise from an appeal under 686(1)(a) based on error of law, miscarriage of justice, or unreasonable verdict.