Doucett v. Crowther et al., (1993) 135 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (TD)

• Judge: Riordon, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: April 21, 1993
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1993), 135 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (TD)

Doucett v. Crowther (1993), 135 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (TD);

    135 R.N.-B.(2e) 379; 344 A.P.R. 379

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Rayburn Doucett (plaintiff) v. Tom Crowther and University Press of New Brunswick Limited (defendants)

(C/C/95/91)

Indexed as: Doucett v. Crowther et al.

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Campbellton

Riordon, J.

June 16, 1993.

Summary:

Doucett sued Crowther and a newspaper publishing company for defamation. Crow­ther and the publishing company applied for a change of venue.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the appli­cation.

Practice - Topic 5221

Trials - General - Venue or place of trial - Application for change of venue - Crowther was the publisher of a newspaper serving Fredericton, New Brunswick - Doucett was a Member of the Legislative Assembly that was located in Fredericton - Doucett represented Jacquet River - Jacquet River was located in the Judicial District of Campbellton - Doucett sued Crowther and the newspaper company in the Judicial District of Campbellton for alleged defamation - Crowther and the newspaper company applied for a change of venue to Fredericton - Crowther sub­mitted that most of the witnesses lived in Fredericton - Also, Doucett was a promi­nent and popular public official which meant it would be difficult to select an unbiased jury in Campbellton - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, declined to change the venue.

Cases Noticed:

Potash Co. of America v. Kilborn Ltd., Western Archrib (1978) Ltd.; Opron Maritime Construction Ltd., Bordon Co. and McAlpine (Robert) Ltd. (1985), 60 N.B.R.(2d) 227; 157 A.P.R. 227 (Q.B.T.D.), consd. [para. 11].

McDonald v. Dawson (1904), 8 O.L.R. 72, consd. [para. 12].

Shortliffe's Grocery Ltd. v. Irving Oil Co. et al. (1973), 9 N.S.R.(2d) 629 (S.C. T.D.), refd to. [para. 13].

Wade Investments Ltd. v. Hat Travel Ltd., Desharnais, Amman, Semrau and Semrau (1979), 21 A.R. 454 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 13].

Halliday v. Township of Stanley (1895), 16 P.R. 493 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 14].

Grant v. Todorovic et al., [1970] 3 O.R. 292, consd. [para. 17].

Sloan v. McRae, [1926] 4 D.L.R. 450 (B.C.C.A.), consd. [para. 18].

Kissick v. Citadel Insurance Co. of Canada Ltd. (1968), 62 W.W.R.(N.S.) 696 (Sask. Q.B.), consd. [para. 18].

Commodore et al. v. Fortier et al. (1985), 3 C.P.C.(2d) 225 (Ont. S.C.), consd. [para. 18].

Sapiro v. Leader Publishing Co., [1925] 3 D.L.R. 163 (Sask. K.B.), refd to. [para. 18].

Schroder, Gebruder & Co. v. Myers & Co. (1886), 34 W.R. 261, refd to. [para. 21].

Gage v. Reid (1917), 39 O.L.R. 52 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

Boles v. National Grocers Co., [1940] O.W.N. 287, refd to. [para. 25].

Russell v. Niagara, St. Catherines and Toronto Railway et al., [1945] O.W.N. 347, refd to. [para. 25].

Reeve v. Andrulis, [1953] O.W.N. 823 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 25].

Axelrod v. Beth Jacob, [1942] O.W.N. 191 (Master), refd to. [para. 25].

Statutes Noticed:

Defamation Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. D-5, sect. 15 [para. 6].

Rules of Court (N.B.), rule 45.01, rule 45.02(1) [para. 7].

Counsel:

Robert J. Peters, for the plaintiff;

J. Gordon Petrie, Q.C., and George E. Kalinowski, for the defendants.

This application was heard in Campbellton, N.B., on April 21, 1993, by Riordon, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, who delivered the following decision on June 16, 1993.