R. v. Kochan (J.V.) et al.,

• Judge: Binder, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Citation: 2001 ABQB 346,(2001), 288 A.R. 333 (QB)
• Date: 20 April 2001

R. v. Kochan (J.V.) (2001), 288 A.R. 333 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2001] A.R. TBEd. MY.078

Her Majesty the Queen (respondent) v. Joseph Vincent Kochan, Cuong Quoc Trang (applicants/accused)

(Action No. 0003 2182 C5; 2001 ABQB 346)

Indexed As: R. v. Kochan (J.V.) et al.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Binder, J.

April 30, 2001.

Summary:

The Crown preferred an indictment against several accused, alleging various offences. Binder, J., determined many pre-jury selection motions. Subsequently, the Crown stayed the original indictment and filed a new indictment. Some of the accused applied to have Binder, J., recuse himself on the basis of an apprehension of bias. The accused argued that many of the matters would be re-litigated and a reasonable observer might apprehend that the court pre-judged the issues. Further, the court made certain pronouncements, rulings and statements during the proceedings that raised an apprehension of bias in favour of the Crown.

Binder, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench refused to recuse himself.

Courts - Topic 689

Judges - Disqualification - Bias - Arising out of participation in prior proceedings - The Crown preferred an indictment against several accused, alleging various offences -Binder, J., determined many pre-jury selection motions - Subsequently, the Crown stayed the original indictment and filed a new indictment - Some of the accused applied to have Binder, J., recuse himself on the basis of an apprehension of bias - The accused argued, inter alia, that many of the matters would be re-litigated and a reasonable observer might apprehend that the court pre-judged the issues - Binder, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench refused to recuse himself, stating that "generally a determination which does not involve the hearing of evidence crucial to the guilt or innocence of an accused, findings of fact based on such evidence or the assessment of credibility of witnesses, does not, barring very rare and exceptional circumstances, provide a basis for a finding of bias or any related Charter breach." - See paragraphs 11 to 34.

Courts - Topic 691

Judges - Disqualification - Bias - Reasonable apprehension of bias - [See Courts - Topic 689].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. R.D.S., [1997] 3 S.C.R. 484; 218 N.R. 1; 161 N.S.R.(2d) 241; 477 A.P.R. 241; 118 C.C.C.(3d) 353; 151 D.L.R.(4th) 193, refd to. [paras. 4, 35].

R. v. Sussex Justices; Ex parte McCarthy, [1924] 1 K.B. 256 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

Vukelich (M.) v. R. (1993), 32 B.C.A.C. 81; 53 W.A.C. 81 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Lawson (D.J.) (1994), 92 Man.R.(2d) 125; 61 W.A.C. 125 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Garoufalis (T.) (1996), 110 Man.R.(2d) 176; 118 W.A.C. 176; 107 C.C.C.(3d) 173 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. MacIver (D.N.) (2000), 150 Man.R.(2d) 123; 230 W.A.C. 123 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Jones (E.M.) and Francis (G.G.) (1997), 97 O.A.C. 290; 113 C.C.C.(3d) 225 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. S.W.E. (2000), 189 Sask.R. 239; 216 W.A.C. 239; 144 C.C.C.(3d) 277 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Charlie (C.C.) (1998), 109 B.C.A.C. 106; 177 W.A.C. 106; 126 C.C.C.(3d) 513 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Skogman, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 93; 54 N.R. 34, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Arviv (1985), 8 O.A.C. 92; 19 C.C.C.(3d) 395 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused, [1985] 1 S.C.R. v; 61 N.R. 237; 100 O.A.C. 158, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Trang (D.) et al. (2001), 284 A.R. 274 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Trang (D.) et al. (2001), 284 A.R. 286 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Trang (T.Q.) et al. (2001), 285 A.R. 166 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Cheung (D.) et al. (2000), 279 A.R. 201 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Pangman (W.G.) et al. (2000), 147 Man.R.(2d) 93 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

Committee for Justice and Liberty Foundation et al. v. National Energy Board et al., [1978] 1 S.C.R. 369; 9 N.R. 115; 68 D.L.R.(3d) 716, refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

Latimer (W.D.) Co. and Bray (1974), 52 D.L.R.(3d) 161 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Lacombe, [1986] O.J. No. 328 (H.C.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

Ringrose v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, [1977] 1 S.C.R. 814; 9 N.R. 383; 1 A.R. 1, refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Truong (P.C.) (2000), 258 A.R. 276 (Q.B.), refd to. [paras. 4, 19].

R. v. Bolt (R.I.) (1995), 162 A.R. 204; 83 W.A.C. 204 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 4, 23].

R. v. Dorscheid (K.L.) (1991), 116 A.R. 79 (C.A.), affd. [1992] 1 S.C.R. vii; 137 N.R. 398; 127 A.R. 397, refd to. [paras. 4, 24].

R. v. Teskey (L.M.) (1995), 167 A.R. 122 (Q.B.), refd to. [paras. 4, 25].

R. v. Gracey (1949), 95 C.C.C. 357 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Hoggard, [1964] 2 C.C.C. 302 (Alta. T.D.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. ex rel Germain v. Wassilyn (1968), 4 C.R.N.S. 157 (Ont. Sup. Ct.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

Sommervill, Re (1962), 133 C.C.C. 323 (Sask. Q.B.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

Downer and R., Re; Re McPhee and R. (1977), 35 C.C.C.(2d) 198 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Tucker (1980), 27 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 167; 74 A.P.R. 167 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Nolin (1982), 17 Man.R.(2d) 379; 1 C.C.C.(3d) 36 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. Dunn (J.L.) (1996), 138 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 46; 431 A.P.R. 46 (P.E.I.T.D.), affd. (1996), 140 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 269; 438 A.P.R. 269 (P.E.I.C.A.), leave to appeal denied (1997), 215 N.R. 160; 158 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 90; 490 A.P.R. 90 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. K.G. (1990), 44 O.A.C. 158 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 4, 28].

R. v. da Silva (1985), 8 O.A.C. 14; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 102 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Power (E.) (1993), 105 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 271; 331 A.P.R. 271; 81 C.C.C.(3d) 1 (Nfld. C.A.), revd. [1994] 1 S.C.R. 601; 165 N.R. 241; 117 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 269; 365 A.P.R. 269, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Robinson (C.J.) (1999), 250 A.R. 201; 213 W.A.C. 201 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Rudko (D.) (2000), 267 A.R. 371 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Yarema (1996), 27 O.R.(3d) 177 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 4].

Arsenault-Cameron et al. v. Prince Edward Island, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 851; 267 N.R. 386; 201 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 605 A.P.R. 1, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Stark, [1994] O.J. No. 406 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Turkiewicz, Barrow and MacNamara (1979), 103 D.L.R.(3d) 332 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Zundel (1987), 18 O.A.C. 161; 35 D.L.R.(4th) 338 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused [1987] 1 S.C.R. xii; 80 N.R. 317; 23 O.A.C. 317, refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Valley (1986), 13 O.A.C. 89; 26 C.C.C.(3d) 207 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused [1986] 1 S.C.R. xiii; 67 N.R. 159; 15 O.A.C. 240, refd to. [paras. 5, 32].

R. v. Rowbotham et al. (1988), 41 C.C.C.(3d) 1 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 6, 17].

R. v. A.G. (1998), 114 O.A.C. 336; 130 C.C.C.(3d) 30 (C.A.), affd. [2000] 1 S.C.R. 439; 252 N.R. 272; 132 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [paras. 6, 31].

R. v. Novak (P.) (1995), 59 B.C.A.C. 152; 98 W.A.C. 152 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 6, 26].

Broda v. Broda (2000), 285 A.R. 201 (Q.B.), refd to. [paras. 6, 33].

J.R.L., Re; Ex parte C.J.L. (1986), 161 C.L.R. 342 (Aust. H.C.), refd to. [paras. 6, 33].

R. v. McCullough (R.), [1998] O.A.C. Uned. 324 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 6, 36].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Ewaschuk, Eugene G., Criminal Pleadings and Practice in Canada (2nd Ed.) (2001 Looseleaf Update), generally [para. 4].

Counsel:

Elliot O. Baker, for Kochan;

John D. James, for Trang;

James Shaw, for Justice Canada.

This application was heard on April 20, 2001, before Binder, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following judgment on April 30, 2001.