R v Jordan: A Shift in Perspective on Unreasonable Delay

AuthorPhilip Campbell & Howard L Krongold
Pages464-486

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 Rightsthe 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

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