Hicks Adams

09/03/2026

Hicks Adams is proud to announce that founding partner Christopher D. Hicks has been recognized for the 7th consecutive year in The Best Lawyers in Canada for his outstanding work in Criminal Defence.

Selected through a rigorous peer-review process, Christopher has been continuously recognized by Best Lawyers since 2021. With over 25 years of criminal law experience, his practice focuses on jury trials, complex appeals before the Court of Appeal, and frequent appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada.

This distinction highlights his steadfast commitment to defending clients facing serious Criminal Code charges. Learn more about Christopher's work and this milestone by reading the full post on our website. https://ow.ly/wi3Q50ZIPV5

09/01/2026

The Ontario government’s proposal to amend the Coroners Act and replace mandatory inquests for in-custody deaths with closed annual reviews raises serious accountability concerns. Mandatory public inquests serve as a vital safeguard, ensuring transparent oversight of correctional conditions, institutional healthcare standards, and inmate safety while offering families essential answers. Removing mandatory public scrutiny risks undermining systemic oversight within Ontario’s correctional facilities.

https://ow.ly/8Y2n50ZHm1i

Province wants to replace hearings with annual reviews of prison fatalities

08/25/2026

Online arguments, shared photos, and group chats can escalate quickly, often leaving a permanent digital footprint. In Canada, online behaviour like cyberbullying, sexting, and sharing intimate images without consent can cross the line into serious offences under the Criminal Code and Youth Criminal Justice Act - such as criminal harassment, uttering threats, or non-consensual distribution of intimate images.

Understanding how digital evidence is handled, the rights of youth during police questioning, and how the youth justice system operates is critical for families navigating these complex situations.

Read our latest blog post to learn more about cyberbullying, sexting, and youth criminal charges in Ontario: https://hicksadams.ca/cyberbullying-sexting-and-youth-criminal-charges/

Learn how cyberbullying, sexting and intimate images may lead to youth criminal charges under Canadian law in Toronto.

08/19/2026

The Criminal Lawyers’ Association and Canadian Civil Liberties Association have launched a Constitutional challenge before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against the introduction of mandatory cash bail by the province. The organizations are requesting an interlocutory injunction from the Court. If granted, the provisions would be paused until a final ruling on the challenge.

The Criminal Lawyers’ Association (“CLA”) and Canadian Civil Liberties Association (“CCLA”) have launched a Constitutional challenge before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against the introduction of mandatory cash bail by the province. The organizations are requesting an interlocuto...

08/14/2026

In R. v. Bory, 2026 ONCA 542, the Ontario Court of Appeal granted the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism leave to intervene in the Crown's appeal of an acquittal for public incitement of hatred.

The case involves an individual charged with advocating genocide and uttering threats after posting videos urging violence against Jewish people, alongside weapons charges. The ruling highlights the critical role of public interest intervenors in shaping judicial standards and statutory thresholds for online hate speech under the Criminal Code.

Judge said statements in online videos urging violence against Jews weren’t made in ‘public place’

08/11/2026

The Ontario government’s plan to explore reopening the Brantford Jail, a facility originally constructed in the 1850s and decommissioned in 2017, reflects a broader legislative and operational effort to address systemic capacity pressures across the provincial correctional system. https://ow.ly/5KO650Zyfjl

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner says the province is looking at the feasibility of reopening the Brantford jail as a way to help add capacity to a strained correctional system.

08/05/2026

Systemic misconduct within provincial correctional institutions continues to trigger extraordinary judicial remedies, with Ontario courts issuing stays of proceedings and significant sentence reductions for severe Charter violations.

https://ow.ly/klii50ZwiPA

More than two years after the misconduct, Solicitor General Michael Kerzner still refuses to answer questions about the incident and fallout.

07/30/2026

Recent data from the Peel Regional Police highlights that while home invasions in Mississauga and Brampton have decreased from their 2024 peak, they remain a persistent threat to community safety.

During the first six months of 2026, the region recorded 36 home invasions, representing a slight increase from the 34 reported during the same period in 2025, though down from the 50 incidents in the first half of 2024.

https://ow.ly/UFhs50ZtTug

'Extortions, organized crime and the international drug trade' are being attributed to the spike. One business owner has gone public with his story following a break-in and says locals are living in fear.

07/27/2026

The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent ruling in Edmonton (Police Service) v. McKee reinforces that disclosure is a fundamental pillar of the constitutional right to a fair trial.

The Court dismissed the appeal, confirming that police misconduct records that are administratively removed or expunged from an officer's disciplinary file remain subject to disclosure in criminal proceedings. This decision clarifies that internal police policies cannot override the broad, first-party disclosure obligations established under R. v. Stinchcombe when records remain relevant to the credibility or conduct of testifying officers.

Our latest post analyzes the McKee decision and its implications for criminal defence strategies and police accountability: https://ow.ly/EO9F50Zs2ji

SCC confirms expunged police misconduct records may still be disclosed in criminal cases where relevant to the accused’s defence.

07/24/2026

Ontario and Toronto saw a concurrent drop in both their overall crime rates and the Crime Severity Index (CSI) last year, according to new data released by Statistics Canada.

The national statistics agency reported that a nationwide decrease in break-and-enters for the third consecutive year was the primary driver behind the decline in the 2025 CSI, which measures the volume and seriousness of police-reported crime.

https://ow.ly/fOU050ZrXBR

Both the crime rate and an index that captures the severity of crimes committed in Toronto and Ontario were down last year, according to new data released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday.