In Brief: Expert Evidence

OJEN In Brief resources are designed to provide high school students with an introduction to basic legal concepts. Each resource includes a short lesson plan for the teacher; a plain language description of the legal topic; and activities that provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the topic. This handout provides an […]

In Brief: Section 24(2) of the Charter – Exclusion of Evidence

OJEN In Brief resources are designed to provide high school students with an introduction to basic legal concepts. Each resource includes a short lesson plan for the teacher; a plain language description of the legal topic; and activities that provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the topic. This handout provides an […]

Top Five 2013: R v NS

Each year at OJEN’s Toronto Summer Law Institute, a judge from the Court of Appeal for Ontario identifies five cases that are of significance in the educational setting. This summary, based on these comments and observations, is appropriate for discussion and debate in the classroom setting. R v NS, 2012 SCC 72, [2012] 3 S.C.R. […]

In Brief: Eyewitness Evidence

OJEN In Brief resources are designed to provide high school students with an introduction to basic legal concepts. Each resource includes a short lesson plan for the teacher; a plain language description of the legal topic; and activities that provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the topic. This handout provides an […]

Constitutional Law Mock Appeal Scenario: Roy v Her Majesty the Queen

This resource, originally from the OJEN Fall 2013 Charter Challenge, examines the constitutionality of the police practice of “carding” – requesting information from individuals without cause to believe they have been involved in illegal activity. In this scenario Tyson Roy, a young black man, is convicted of possession of an illegal handgun. On appeal, Mr. […]

In Brief: Roles in the Criminal Justice System

This handout provides an overview of the various roles involved in the criminal justice system, including Crown attorney, criminal defence counsel, duty counsel, court clerk, court artist, court reporter, surety and trial coordinator, among others.

In Brief: Structure of the Courts in Canada

This handout provides an overview of the structures of the court system in Canada, including descriptions of the Supreme Court of Canada, the provincial and territorial courts, and the federal courts.

In Brief: Traditions of the Courts

This handout provides an overview of various traditions of the courts, including the coat of arms, courtroom attire, the judicial sash, the oath and the bow. The Canadian judicial system has inherited many traditions from the English court system. All of the traditions that accompany the court process serve to lend dignity to the judicial […]

An American Visitor to A Canadian Court

Despite this common history and despite the superficial similarity, there are differences between the judicial systems of the two nations. These differences may be reflected in the symbols displayed within the courtroom, the organization of the courts and the legal professions, the procedure of the court and the origin and nature of the laws being […]

In Brief: Mens Rea / Actus Reus

OJEN In Brief resources are designed to provide high school students with an introduction to basic legal concepts. Each resource includes a short lesson plan for the teacher; a 1-4 page plain language description of the legal topic; and activities that provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the topic. Generally speaking, […]

A Brief History of the Justice of the Peace Bench

The office of Justice of the Peace was transplanted from England to Canada in 1763 as a result of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which decreed that the law of England, both civil and criminal, was to be imposed upon all the territory of what subsequently became Canada. The Association of Justices of the Peace […]