In a groundbreaking decision, the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Louis v. Poitras, 2021 ONCA 49, set aside the Divisional Court judgment and restored the motion judge’s order to strike the jury by reason of delay arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christine Sesek
Christine Sesek is an associate lawyer at Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP in Toronto, Ontario. She practices exclusively in personal injury litigation and is committed to helping seriously injured individuals and their families.
Christine is a graduate of the Canadian & American Dual J.D. program at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy. She was called to the bar in 2019 and is a member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association.
Boone v. O’Kelly, 2020 ONSC 6932
In this case, the defence expert’s evidence was excluded entirely. The evidence was biased and unreliable from the beginning and was, therefore, inadmissible…
Coban v. Declare, 2020 ONSC 5580
In this case, the plaintiffs brought a motion to strike the jury notice and the defendants brought a cross-motion to adjourn the trial because the pandemic has interfered with their ability to obtain responding medical reports…
OZ Merchandising Inc. v. Canadian Professional Soccer League Inc., 2019 ONSC 3882
In this case, Justice Bell struck the jury after seven weeks of trial, and the plaintiff’s counsel’s closing address to the jury…
Rovi Guides, Inc. v. Videotron Ltd., 2020 FC 637
In this case, the trial began in March but it was brought to a halt due to COVID-19. It continued in May and became the first trial conducted electronically with witnesses and cross-examinations in the Federal Court.
Southampton Nursing Home v Service Employees International Union, Local 1 Canada, 2020 CanLII 26933
Despite the benefits and efficiency of using video conferencing for hearings, it is not appropriate in every case.