By LegalMatters Staff • If you use “threats, accusations, menaces or violence” to force someone else to do something, you could be charged with extortion. In most cases, money sexual favours or tangible property are demanded. “The charge of extortion is always prosecuted as an indictable offence with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment,” says […]
The crime of extortion can result in life in prison Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • January is not only the start of another new year but it’s also the perfect time to review and update employment contracts and workplace policies, says Toronto employment lawyer Ellen Low. Low, principal of Ellen Low & Co., says new employment legislation coming into effect in 2025 is reason
The new year is a good time to review employment contracts Read More »
By LegalMattersCanada.ca • If you ever wondered how dangerous your community is to drive in as compared to other Ontario cities, a 2003 study provides some answers. Drawing on data from more than 100,000 insurance quotes in the past three years, including almost 2,300 accidents and over 5,000 tickets, the insurance comparison site MyChoice has
Latest study lists Ontario’s most dangerous cities to drive in Read More »
By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • While artificial intelligence (AI) can streamline the disability insurance claim process, an overreliance on the technology is fraught with potential pitfalls, says Ontario disability insurance lawyer Courtney Mulqueen. “I am all for anything that can speed up the application process so that claimants who need an income can get
AI ‘must be tempered with the human perspective’ Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • People sometimes want to purchase a home with a tenant since their rent will help pay the mortgage. But other buyers will want the house to themselves. As a prospective buyer, you must know your legal responsibilities to the tenant if you buy the home. “If you want the tenant to
What happens if I purchase a home that has a tenant? Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Some Canadians are unsure if they have a right to self-defence, especially after hearing stories about citizens being charged after they took self-defensive measures, “Simply stated, Canadians have the right to safeguard themselves, as long as their defensive actions are proportional to the circumstances,” says Calgary criminal lawyer Vince Semenuk. “However,
You have the right to self-defence in Canada, within limits Read More »
While we are all looking forward to spending time with family members and friends over the holidays, studies show that the winter months are the riskiest when it comes to motor vehicle accidents. In addition, Fridays, followed by Thursdays, are the riskiest days of the week with the highest number of incidents that result in
Winter weekends are the most dangerous time to be driving Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • During a divorce, couples will see their property divided and one may have to pay the other child or spousal support. Property division and spousal support are rarely straightforward and may involve protracted discussions between spouses and their lawyers, mediation or even litigation. “In Alberta, the Family Property Act (formerly known
How property division and support are decided in a divorce Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Some people may believe police cannot search their vehicle in Canada without a warrant, As with many things with law, the rules in this area are not that simple. “The freedom from random vehicle searches is granted by s.8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when it states that
Police can search a vehicle without a warrant in some circumstances Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • If you hold someone against their will by using threats, coercion or force, you could be charged with forcible confinement. This charge is commonly laid after a domestic altercation, where one partner does not allow the other person to leave a residence. “It is important to note that the charge of
The charge of forcible confinement is not as simple as it seems Read More »
