Cowles et al. v. Balac et al., (2006) 216 O.A.C. 268 (CA)

• Judge: O'Connor, A.C.J.O., Borins and Rouleau, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Ontario)
• Case Date: June 12, 2006
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (2006), 216 O.A.C. 268 (CA)

Cowles v. Balac (2006), 216 O.A.C. 268 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2006] O.A.C. TBEd. OC.066

Jennifer-Anne Cowles, Jesse Cowles, a minor by his Litigation Guardian, Jennifer-Anne Cowles, Quinto Cowles, a minor by his Litigation Guardian, Jennifer-Anne Cowles and Anne Kelly (plaintiffs/respondents) v. David Balac, Ranko Balac and The African Lion Safari & Game Farm Ltd. (defendant/appellant)

David Balac, Ranko Balac, Slavka Balac and Sandra Balac (plaintiffs/respondents) v. African Lion Safari & Game Farm Ltd. and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (defendant/appellant)

(C43131)

Indexed As: Cowles et al. v. Balac et al.

Ontario Court of Appeal

O'Connor, A.C.J.O., Borins and Rouleau, JJ.A.

October 19, 2006.

Summary:

The plaintiffs sued the African Lion Safari & Game Farm (ALS) for damages for injuries resulting from an attack by Bengal tigers at ALS's drive through safari zoo.

The Ontario Superior Court, in a decision reported [2005] O.T.C. 52, allowed the action and assessed damages accordingly. ALS appealed with respect to liability only. ALS argued that the trial judge erred in: (1) striking its jury notice; (2) refusing to admit the evidence of its private investigator; (3) holding that the defence of contributory negligence did not apply to a finding of strict liability; and (4) misapprehending or ignoring certain evidence.

The Ontario Court of Appeal, Borins, J.A., dissenting in part, dismissed the appeal. The court rejected grounds one and four; held that while the trial judge erred with respect to ground 2, the error did not affect the outcome; and as to ground three, the trial judge did not find it necessary on the facts to decide whether the defence of contributory negligence applied to a finding of strict liability.

Practice - Topic 5102

Juries and jury trials - Right to a jury - Setting aside a jury notice - The plaintiffs sued the African Lion Safari & Game Farm (ALS) for damages for injuries resulting from an attack by Bengal tigers at ALS's drive through safari zoo - The trial judge allowed the action and assessed damages accordingly - ALS appealed with respect to liability only, arguing that the trial judge erred in striking its jury notice - The Ontario Court of Appeal rejected this ground of appeal - The court held that the trial judge applied the proper test for striking a jury notice and acted within the ambit of her discretion - Thus there was no basis for appellate interference - See paragraphs 27 to 93.

Cases Noticed:

Graham et al. v. Rourke (1990), 40 O.A.C. 301; 75 O.R.(2d) 622 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 28, 132].

King v. Colonial Homes Ltd., [1956] S.C.R. 528, refd to. [paras. 36, 145].

Kostopoulos v. Jesshope (1985), 6 O.A.C. 326; 50 O.R.(2d) 54 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

Housen v. Nikolaisen et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235; 286 N.R. 1; 219 Sask.R. 1; 272 W.A.C. 1; 211 D.L.R.(4th) 577; 2002 SCC 33, refd to. [para. 41].

Rahmaty v. Kentner, [1982] O.J. No. 2284 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 58].

Cosford v. Cornwall (1992), 56 O.A.C. 47; 9 O.R.(3d) 37; 93 D.L.R.(4th) 123; 7 C.P.C.(3d) 388 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 61, 142].

Hunt v. Sutton Group Incentive Realty Inc. et al. (2002), 162 O.A.C. 186; 60 O.R.(3d) 665 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 63].

Neelands v. Haig, [1957] O.W.N. 337; 9 D.L.R.(2d) 165 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 63, 145].

Martin v. St. Lawrence Cement Co. et al., [1968] 1 O.R. 94 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 70, 145].

Ryan v. Whitton, [1964] 1 O.R. 111 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 70, 148].

Wilson v. Kinnear (1925), 57 O.L.R. 679 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 143, footnote 3].

Telford v. Secord, [1947] S.C.R. 277, refd to. [para. 143, footnote 3].

Mizinski v. Robillard et al., [1957] S.C.R. 351, refd to. [para. 143, footnote 3].

Brown v. Wood (1887), 12 P.R. (Ont.) 198, refd to. [para. 143, footnote 4].

Burton v. Harding and Marks, [1952] 3 D.L.R. 302 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 144].

Markovski v. Allstate Insurance Co. of Canada (1983), 42 O.R.(2d) 689 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 145].

Wood et al. v. Audia et al., [2004] O.T.C. Uned. 364 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 156].

Strojny v. Chan (1988), 26 C.P.C.(2d) 38 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 160].

Cole v. Trans Canada Air Lines, [1966] 2 O.R. 188 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 162].

R. v. Bero (C.) (2000), 137 O.A.C. 336; 151 C.C.C.(3d) 545 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 162, footnote 6].

R. v. La (H.K.) et al., [1997] 2 S.C.R. 680; 213 N.R. 1; 200 A.R. 81; 146 W.A.C. 81; 116 C.C.C.(3d) 97, refd to. [para. 162, footnote 6].

Brady v. Lamb et al. (2005), 205 O.A.C. 253; 78 O.R.(3d) 680 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 172].

Demeter v. Occidental Life Insurance Co. of California (1979), 94 D.L.R.(3d) 465; 23 O.R.(2d) 31 (H.C.), affd. (1979), 26 O.R.(2d) 391; 102 D.L.R.(3d) 454 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 177].

R. v. Corbett, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 670; 85 N.R. 81; 41 C.C.C.(3d) 385, refd to. [para. 178].

R. v. Hill, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 313; 68 N.R. 161; 17 O.A.C. 33; 27 D.L.R.(4th) 187; 25 C.C.C.(3d) 322, refd to. [para. 178].

Hamstra et al. v. British Columbia Rugby Union et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 1092; 211 N.R. 89; 89 B.C.A.C. 161; 145 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 178].

Sloane v. Toronto Stock Exchange (1991), 52 O.A.C. 177; 5 O.R.(3d) 412 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 181].

R. v. McNamara (No. 1) (1981), 56 C.C.C.(2d) 193 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 186].

Cook v. Washuta (1985), 11 O.A.C. 171; 52 O.R.(2d) 289 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1986), 68 N.R. 400; 18 O.A.C. 80; 55 O.R.(2d) 288 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 200].

Cook v. Ip - see Cook v. Washuta.

Landolfi v. Fargione (2006), 209 O.A.C. 89; 79 O.R.(3d) 767 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 201].

Boma Manufacturing Ltd. et al. v. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, [1996] 3 S.C.R. 727; 203 N.R. 321; 82 B.C.A.C. 161; 133 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 216].

Statutes Noticed:

Judicature Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 223, sect. 60(3) [para. 143, footnote 2].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Article, The Case for Special Juries in Complex Civil Litigation (1980), 89 Yale L.J. 1155, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Article, The Right to a Jury Trial in Complex Civil Litigation (1979), 92 Harv. L. Rev. 898, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Cecil, Joe S., et al., Comprehension of Difficult Issues: Lessons from Civil Jury Trials (1991), 40 Am. U. L. Rev. 727, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Cowie, Mark T., Juries and Complex Trials, Jury Service in Victoria: Final Report (1997), vol. 3, c. 2, pp. 10, 11 [para. 190]; 56, 57 [para. 189].

Fleming, John G., The Law of Torts (9th Ed. 1998), generally [para. 204]; p. 405 [para. 206].

Fridman, Gerald Henry Louis, The Law of Torts in Canada (2nd Ed. 2002), generally [para. 204]; pp. 26r [para. 207]; 255 [para. 208].

Harper, F.V., James Jr., F., and Gray, O.S., The Law of Torts (2nd Ed. 1986), vol. 4, pp. 304 to 318 [para. 209]; 307, 308 [para. 210]; 310 [para. 211].

Higginbotham, Patrick E., Continuing the Dialogue: Civil Juries and the Allocation of Judicial Power (1977-1978), 56 Tex. L. Rev. 47, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Holmested, George Smith, and Gale, G.A., The Ontario Judicature Act and Rules of Practice (2005), vol. 1, p. 504 [para. 143, footnote 3].

Holmested, George Smith, and Langton, The Judicature Act of Ontario (5th Ed. 1940), p. 263 [para. 143, footnote 3].

Huttner, Constance S., Unfit for Jury Determination: Complex Civil Litigation and The Seventh Amendment Right of Trial by Jury (1978-1979), 20 B.C.L. Rev. 511, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Independent, The, Online Edition (September 19, 2006), generally [para. 188, footnote 9].

Kerans, Roger P., Standards of Review Employed by Appellate Courts (1994), generally [para. 41].

King, Douglas, Complex Civil Litigation and The Seventh Amendment Right to a Jury Trial (1984), 51 U. Chi. L. Rev. 581, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Klar, Lewis N., Tort Law (3rd Ed. 2003), p. 576 [para. 212].

Law Society of Upper Canada, Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 4.03(2) [para. 133].

Lempert, Richard O., Civil Juries and Complex Cases: Let's Not Rush to Judgment (1981-1982), 80 Mich. L. Rev. 68, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Linden, Allen M., Canadian Tort Law (7th Ed. 2001), p. 509 [para. 212].

Meyer, Lisa S ., Taking the 'Complexity' Out of Complex Litigation: Preserving the Constitutional Right to a Civil Jury Trial (1993-1994), 28 Val. U.L. Rev. 337, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Myers, Robert D., et al., Complex Scientific Evidence and the Jury (1999-2000), 83 Judicature 150, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Osborne, Philip H., The Law of Torts (2nd Ed. 2003), pp. 321 to 324 [para. 213].

Perell, P., A Bit about Bites: Liability for Damages Caused by a Dog (2006), 31 Adv. Q. 347, p. 348 [para. 213].

Sperlich, Peter W., The Case for Preserving Trial by Jury in Complex Civil Litigation (1982), 65 Judicature 394, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Vidmar, Neil, The Performance of the American Civil Jury: An Emperical Perspective (1998), 40 Ariz. L. Rev. 849, generally [para. 187, footnote 7].

Counsel:

Earl A. Cherniak, Q.C., Kirk F. Stevens and Christine Snow, for the appellant;

Alan A Farrer and Craig Brown, for the respondents, Jennifer-Anne Cowles, Jesse Cowles, Quinton Cowles and Anne Kelly;

R. Donald Rollo, for the respondent, Jennifer-Anne Cowles;

Bruce Haines, Q.C., and Douglas Christie, for the respondents, David Balac, Ranko Balac, Slavka Balac and Sandra Balac.

This appeal was heard on June 12, 2006, before O'Connor, A.C.J.O., Borins and Rouleau, JJ.A., of the Ontario Court of Appeal. The judgment of the court was delivered on October 19, 2006, including the following opinions:

O'Connor, A.C.J.O. (Rouleau, J.A., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 120;

Borins, J.A., dissenting in part - see paragraphs 121 to 221.