R. v. Sater (C.), (2015) 369 B.C.A.C. 195 (CA)

• Judge: Frankel, J.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: February 27, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (2015), 369 B.C.A.C. 195 (CA);2015 BCCA 125

R. v. Sater (C.) (2015), 369 B.C.A.C. 195 (CA);

    634 W.A.C. 195

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. MR.053

Regina (respondent) v. Cory Sater (appellant)

(CA041868; 2015 BCCA 125)

Indexed As: R. v. Sater (C.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Frankel, J.A.

March 20, 2015.

Summary:

The accused drove a vehicle that struck a disabled vehicle and three people standing close to it, killing two of them and seriously injuring the third.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported at [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 330, found the accused guilty of two counts of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death and one count each of impaired driving causing bodily harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm. The accused pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported at [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1036, imposed sentences as follow: five years' imprisonment on each of the two charges of impaired driving causing death (concurrent); 3.5 years for impaired driving causing bodily harm (concurrent); five years for dangerous driving causing death (concurrent); 3.5 years for dangerous driving causing bodily harm (concurrent); and 2.5 years for failing to remain at the scene of an accident (consecutive). The accused appealed from both the convictions and from the sentences. The Legal Services Society agreed to fund the sentence appeal, but denied funding for the conviction appeal. The accused applied under s. 684 of the Criminal Code for an order appointing counsel for the conviction appeal.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal, per Frankel, J.A., allowed the application on a prospective basis. The court declined to make the order retroactive, such that it would cover the legal fees and disbursements associated with this application.

Barristers and Solicitors - Topic 651

Duty to court - Duty re representation of client - See paragraphs 35 to 38.

Courts - Topic 563

Judges - Powers - To appoint counsel - See paragraphs 8 to 34.

Courts - Topic 1761

Powers - Appointment of counsel - General - See paragraphs 8 to 34.

Criminal Law - Topic 4974

Appeals - Indictable offences - Powers of Court of Appeal - Power to appoint counsel for accused - See paragraphs 8 to 34.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Beatty (J.R.), [2008] 1 S.C.R. 49; 371 N.R. 119; 251 B.C.A.C. 7; 420 W.A.C. 7; 2008 SCC 5, refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Roy (R.L.), [2012] 2 S.C.R. 60; 430 N.R. 201; 321 B.C.A.C. 112; 547 W.A.C. 112; 2012 SCC 26, refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Silcoff (D.L.), [2012] B.C.A.C. Uned. 88; 2012 BCCA 463, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Bath (S.S.) (2013), 335 B.C.A.C. 144; 573 W.A.C. 144; 2013 BCCA 126, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Jaycox (D.A.) (2012), 316 B.C.A.C. 274; 537 W.A.C. 274; 2012 BCCA 105, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Moghaddam (A.M.) (2003), 188 B.C.A.C. 74; 308 W.A.C. 74; 2003 BCCA 552, refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Edwards (N.H.) (2002), 173 B.C.A.C. 111; 283 W.A.C. 111; 2002 BCCA 412, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Bernardo (P.K.) (1997), 105 O.A.C. 244; 121 C.C.C.(3d) 123 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. X.Y. (2007), 224 O.A.C. 317; 46 C.R.(6th) 261; 2007 ONCA 189, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Cassidy (T.S.) (1992), 131 A.R. 394; 25 W.A.C. 394 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Major, J., Lawyers' Obligation to Provide Legal Services (1995), 33 Alta. L. Rev. 719, p. 720 [para. 35].

Counsel:

E. Purtzki, for the appellant;

M.J. Brundrett, for the respondent.

This application was heard in chambers at Vancouver, B.C., on February 27, 2015, by Frankel, J.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal, who delivered the following judgment on March 20, 2015.