Criminal Law

This title explores the current state of substantive criminal law in Canada.

This is the first Canadian open access criminal law casebook, incorporating a wide range of traditional and audio/visual materials such as podcasts and documentary films. It is also notable for being the first to present Indigenous laws alongside Canadian criminal law. Cree law is featured throughout.

The Open Access CanLII Criminal Law Ebook is written by a team of 67 writers who include leading litigators and experts in criminal law. This first edition consists of 10 parts broken down into 88 chapters, each focusing on different areas of criminal law: Detention and Arrest, Search and Seizure, Statements, Information and Indictments, Bail, Disclosure, Trial Procedure, Defences, Sentencing, and Appeals. Each chapter contains references and links to relevant cases and content.

This text strikes a balance between theory and practice while covering key subjects, including the Criminal Code, corporate liability in organizations, court jurisdiction, and appeals in Canada.

The aim of this text is to explore substantive principles and the trial context: the adversary system, how elements of crime are proved, principles of act and fault, legal justifications and excuses, and sentencing principles.