The Court dismissed an appeal from a BC Review Board decision extending the appellant’s conditional discharge from detention at a forensic psychiatric hospital for 12 months: (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow In developing a Reconciliation Framework and Action Plan, the Court has considered its responsibility to uphold judicial independence and impartiality. Everyone has the right to have their disputes heard and decided in a fair way (1/2).

The Court has allowed an appeal in part from a family law dispute in which the judge awarded lump sum spousal and retroactive spousal and child support: (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court allowed an appeal from a conviction for multiple drug and firearm offences wherein police searched and seized packages set aside by Loomis employees for police retrieval. A new trial has been ordered. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court has dismissed an appeal from a drug and weapons conviction, finding the judge did not err in allowing the Crown to call rebuttal evidence and declining to allow the defence to call evidence in subrebuttal. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

A chambers judge dismissed an application to quash a notice of application to cross appeal, ruling that the application was properly brought in accordance with the Court of Appeal Act and Rules: (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court dismissed an application to vary or cancel the order of a justice dismissing an application for leave to appeal orders made in a foreclosure proceeding: (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow The Court understands reconciliation as an ongoing process and commits to pursuing reconciliation in its work, particularly through learning, relationship-building, and access to justice initiatives (1/2).

The Court dismissed an appeal from the terms of a costs order in a family dispute, finding the judge did not err in correcting the order nearly seven years later: (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

REMINDER: Starting today (Sept 15), the Court of Appeal’s reserved judgments are now pronounced by publishing the reasons on its website on the date of release at the time specified on the upcoming judgments list. (1/3)

The Court of Appeal of Yukon allowed an appeal and ordered a new trial from a sexual assault conviction because the Crown failed to seek a voir dire before asking a complainant whether they had previously had sexual relations with the appellant. (1/2)

The Court of Appeal of Yukon allowed an appeal which turned on the central issue of whether the court may intervene where the Commissioner in Executive Council failed to enact regulations contemplated by the Maintenance Enforcement Act. (1/2)

The Court allowed the Crown’s appeal and ordered a new trial from an acquittal for possessing child exploitation material, finding the judge erred by not considering common-sense inferences available to the judicial justice issuing the warrant. (1/2)

The Court allowed an appeal of a company contracted to make and deliver an industrial freezer to another business, who then repudiated that contract because it could not secure funding. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow The Court adopted its Reconciliation Framework and Action Plan in 2024, following a focused period of learning from people and organizations experienced in advancing reconciliation, including in the unique setting of the courts (1/2).

The Court dismissed an appeal from conviction for aggravated assault, finding the judge should have held a hearing to consider the admissibility of prior threats, but the probative evidence exceeded any prejudicial effect: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

UPDATE: The video on the Zoom broadcast has been restored. Thank you for your patience.

The Court dismissed the Environmental Appeal Board’s appeal and limited the scope of the Board’s appeal to the issue of the costs the chambers judge awarded against the Board. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

NOTICE: Effective September 4, 2025, the Registrar's Filing Directive has been updated to allow chambers records longer than 300 pages to be e-filed using Court Services Online. For more details, please read the Filing Directive here: www.bccourts.ca/Court_of_App...

NOTICE: Effective September 15, 2025, the Court of Appeal will pronounce reserved judgments by publishing reasons for judgment on its website on the date of release at the time specified on the upcoming judgments list. (1/2)

UPDATE: The Court is still experiencing technical issues with the Zoom broadcast today. We are working to resolve the issue and apologize for the inconvenience.

The Court dismissed an appeal for sexual assault of a person under the age of 16, finding it was open to the judge to reject the appellant’s defence of honest but mistaken belief in age and that the victim consented: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

NOTICE: The Court of Appeal live broadcast is experiencing technical issues. The broadcast is currently available only by audio with no video. We will notify once the issue is resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The Court dismissed an appeal from an order dismissing an application to strike a third party notice issued against an appellant law firm by a respondent law firm. www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2... (1/2)

#DidYouKnow It’s been 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recognized that for reconciliation to become a reality, there has to be awareness of the past, acknowledgment of the harm inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behaviour (1/2).

The Court allowed a Crown appeal of a conditional sentence order of two years less one day for possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl, increasing the sentence to five years’ jail. www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

Effective September 1, 2025, the Honourable Madam Justice Elizabeth A. Bennett retires from the Court of Appeal for British Columbia & the Court of Appeal of Yukon. (1/4)

The Court dismissed an appeal about the interpretation of a will made in hospital two days before the testator’s death. (1/3) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

A chambers judge has granted the application of an appellant to re-instate her appeal after its dismissal for being inactive for more than 180 days, finding that despite the inactivity, the application to re-instate was brought one day after dismissal. www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court has allowed the appeal of a company seeking to cancel the designation of a strip of land for highway use by the City of Delta despite an engineering report recommending its retention for that very purpose. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court allowed the Crown’s appeal of a Conditional Sentence Order for aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon, substituting two years less a day with a custodial sentence of 42 months, less time served. (1/2) www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court allowed an appeal from a developer that terminated presale contracts in a strata development. The Court found the developer was entitled to do so when construction could not complete by the Outside Completion Date. www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow The courts have a constitutional duty to protect the “rule of law”. This includes ensuring access to independent adjudicators with the power to enforce the law and grant remedies to people whose rights may have been violated (1/3).

The Court dismissed the appeal of a manslaughter conviction in the shooting death of the appellant’s son. The appellant argued the judge erred in instructing the jury on the applicable standard of care: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2... (1/2)

The Court dismissed the appeal and cross appeals of spouses who split while living and working with the husband’s parents, finding the judge did not err in dismissing the claims regarding family businesses and property: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court dismissed an appeal from two sexual assault convictions of a massage therapist against his clients, finding the judge did not err in relying on witness testimony and finding the appellant not credible: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court has dismissed an appeal from a motor vehicle accident victim who claimed his insurance broker failed to advise him about and offer excess underinsured motorist protection (“UMP”) under his Autoplan policy. www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2... (1/2)

#DidYouKnow The Supreme Court of Canada has recognized that one of the greatest challenges to protecting and maintaining the “rule of law” is ensuring access to justice (1/3).

#DidYouKnow Courts act as “vigilant guardians of constitutional rights and the rule of law” (1/3).

#DidYouKnow The “rule of law” is an unwritten constitutional principle. It is fundamental to Canada’s constitutional structure and protects people from arbitrary state action (1/2).

A chambers judge granted an application for leave to appeal a decision of a summary conviction appeal judge refusing an application for an extension of time to appeal a guilty plea under the Motor Vehicle Act: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow A leading decision on the “rule of law” is a 1959 case from the Supreme Court of Canada: Roncarelli v. Duplessis. A premier was held liable for cancelling a restaurant owner’s liquor license without legal authority and for an improper purpose (1/2).

The Court of Appeal of Yukon allowed an appeal concerning the scope and registration of lien claims under the Miners Lien Act. Read more: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

The Court has dismissed appeals from convictions for contempt of court for breaching an order prohibiting interference with the Trans Mountain Pipeline. One of the issues on appeal was whether the judge failed to consider Indigenous laws when assessing the mens rea of the offence.

#DidYouKnow What does the “rule of law” mean? Simply put, it means laws apply to everyone, even the most powerful among us. This constitutional principle ensures the laws are applied equally to individuals, corporations and government officials. No one is above the law.

The Court has dismissed an appeal from a judicial review of a labour relations matter, finding a BC Labour Relations Board’s cease and desist order involved a proper application of the statute to prevent an unfair labour practice in response to a lawful strike action (1/2).

The BC Court of Appeal congratulates Justice DeWitt-Van Oosten (pictured) on successfully co-chairing the 50th annual National Criminal Law Program in Vancouver, held July 7–11. Her ongoing commitment to the development and practice of criminal law continues to make a meaningful impact.

The Court has dismissed an appeal from convictions for making and possessing child pornography as well as 2 counts of voyeurism. The images had been captured by a “spy cam” in a device in the family’s bathroom (1/2): www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...

#DidYouKnow Canadian courts play a central role in maintaining the “rule of law” in our democratic society. This includes making sure laws are administered and enforced equally and fairly.

The Court has dismissed an appeal from a Supreme Court order striking a petition for declaratory relief relevant to the authorization of timber harvesting rights in TFL 46, a block of land on southern Vancouver Island: www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/ca/2...