R v Jordan: A Shift in Perspective on Unreasonable Delay

• Author: Philip Campbell & Howard L Krongold
• Pages: 464-486



R v Jordan

ASHIFTINPERSPECTIVEON

UNREASONABLEDELAY

Philip Campbell & Howard L Krongold*

SectionboftheCanadian Charter of Rights and Freedomspromisesthat

Anypersonchargedwithanoencehastherighttobetriedwithina

reasonabletimeRarelyinourlegalhistoryhastheburdenbornebythe

ubiquitousmodierreasonableweighedasheavilyonrobedshoul

dersasitdoesinthisbeguilinglysimpleguaranteeofatimelytrial The

provisionhasdeedagenerationofaemptstoinfuseitwithpractical

meaningledtotensofthousandsofabortedprosecutionsandmost

recentlysplit the Supreme Court of Canada on issues both mundane

andfundamental

The protection against un reasonable delaysta nds apart from the

otherrightsgrantedtothecriminalaccusedinsectionoftheCharter

Ourcourtsbeforehadsomefamiliaritywiththeotherguarantees

inthesectionthroughthecommonlawtheBill of Rightsthe Crimin al

CodeorallthreeTheserightstherighttobetoldofthechargesyou

facetoremainsilentatyourtrialtobepresumedinnocenttoreason

ablebailtoajurytrialtoprotectionagainstdoublejeopardyandtothe

benetofthelawasitstoodwhenyoucommiedyouroencewere

rootedintheliteratureandhistoryofcivillibertiesandrestedonour

 PhilipCampbellisafoundingpartneroftheTorontormLockyerCampbell

PosnerHowardKrongoldisapartnerintheOawarmAbergelGoldstein

PartnersLLP

 R v MorinSCRatMorin

R v Jordan

selfconceptionasafreeanddemocraticsocietyButCanadiancourts

hadnoexperiencewithcomplaintsoftardytrialsandmoreimportantly

noexperiencewithanythingcomparableMostrightsinsectionand

throughouttheCharterlendthemselvestoresolutionbyreferencetoear

liercaselawanalogytootherlegalguaranteesandtheapplicationofes

tablishedprinciplesNotsectionbThecharacterizationofaperiodof

timemeredaysonthecalendarasreasonableorunreasonablehas

noobvioustouchstoneinourjurisprudenceMuchasitmaybedressed

upasamaerofprincipleandanimportantrightwhichitisthe

adjudicationoftwocaseswithsimilarfactsmustcomedownultimately

toaholdingthatonetriedXmonthsafterarrestisreasonableandthe

secondtriedamonthlaterisnotWhentheenforcementofabasicright

isreducedtoanarbitrarymaerofcountingdaysthejudgesusualtools

evidenceargumentauthorityandlogicprovidenosatisfactory

wayofselectingwinnersandlosers

And that selecting has a lwaysbeen for the h ighest possible stakes

casesononesideoftheelusivelineinsectionbgototrialwhilethose

ontheothersidearepermanentlystayedCourtshavemusedaboutbut

neveradoptedremediesforunduedelaythatcompensateforsomeofthe

eectsofyearsspentimmersedinascleroticjusticesystemwithouthalt

ingtheentireprocessSectionblitigationisawinnertakeallcontest

The Supreme Court of Canada has naturally car ried most of the

burden of section bsa mbiguityThe Cour t delivereda judgment

twentysevenyearsagothatwasintendedtoclarifythefragmentedlaw

atthetimebutledtoacascadeofstayedprosecutionsthatconvulsed

thejusticesystemItsaempttwoyearslatertostanchthebleedingre

sulted in confusion led to numbingly complex pretrial motions a nd

leftnoonesatisedthattheresultrestedonsoundconstitutionalprin

ciplesorproducedconsistentlyjustoutcomes

InabaremajorityoftheSupremeCourtsweptthatpainfulhis

toryasideItintroducedaradicallysimpliedapproachtotheissueofde

laystrippingawaytheintricatetestthathadcompelledthetediouslegal

microscopyofthelastquartercenturyInitsplacetheCourtsmajority

setrmtimelimitsforcompletingprosecutionswithonlythesmallest

allowancefortheexigenciesthatsooftenstallthemThemajorityrecast

the Chartersapproachtodelayinthefaceofaharshdissentthatmadea

 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom ssPartIoftheConstitutionActbeing

ScheduleBtotheCanadaActUKc

 R v RaheySCRRahey

 R v AskovSCRAskov

 Morinabovenote