WELCOME BACK! WINTER 2012 Events We hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and are ready for another term of Criminal Law events at Osgoode! Here are some highlights: We're in the process of securing some pretty unique and influential guest speakers to give you some new insight into the field of criminal law. You can also look forward to our annual Court of Appeal Visit: Trip to Osgoode Hall to watch a criminal appeal. Reward yourself with a night out by coming to our pub night and meeting new people. Consider running for a spot on next year's executive at our Annual General Meeting!
Bill C-10 Discussion Event Many of you have likely been following the progress of Bill C-10 (Harper's new omnibus crime bill), which has been met with widespread criticism by some, arguing that the proposed changes are based on faulty ideology and may even be unconstitutional. A number of other law schools have started up discussions, and a few have written publicly to denounce the bill. Dave Shellnutt from Legal & Lit is trying to get Osgoode involved, and is hosting a discussion forum this Wednesday January 11 from 1:30-2:30pm at the JCR. We would like to invite our general membership to attend and join in on the discussion to learn more about the proposed changes, and be part of Osgoode's voice on this growing issue! |
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Criminal Law Society
Presents:
Criminal Law Career Panel
Want to learn more about criminal law as a career??
Then don’t miss out on the Criminal Law Society’s most popular event of the year!
Wednesday November 2, 2011 12:30PM – 2:30PM Moot Court Room (front section- 1005)
**FREE LUNCH PROVIDED**
For club information: www.crimlawsociety.ca |
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OUR NEXT EVENT IS:
OCI & Articling Workshop
**FREE LUNCH PROVIDED**
Please Note: If you are a member and are not receiving our club emails, we may not have your correct contact info. Please email us at: RitchieJacob@osgoode.yorku.ca. |
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Welcome to the 2011-2012 Osgoode Criminal Law Society- the only forum dedicated to Osgoode students interested in criminal law!
Check back for updates on our upcoming events including: 1) OCI & Articling Workshop 2) Criminal Law Career Panel 3) Appellate Court Visit (to watch a criminal appeal at the Ontario Court of Appeal) 4) Various Guest Lecturers 5) Pub Night
Our main club objectives this year are: - to host social events to assist members in building a criminal law peer network - to provide mentorship opportunities among the criminal law group at Osgoode - to offer educational and career-oriented events to help members prepare for a career in criminal law
A Note Regarding Membership Becoming a member will get you added on to our internal mailing list, which offers regular email updates on club activities and upcoming events. To become a member, simply send your full name and email to RitchieJacob@osgoode.yorku.ca. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM US, WE MAY NOT HAVE YOUR CORRECT CONTACT INFORMATION. PLEASE EMAIL US. |
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Event Date: Wednesday, February 9, 12:30-2:30 Event Location: OSG 206
The Metamorphosis of Impaired DrivingDespite increased sanctions, the statutory erosion of common defences and a multi-decade public awareness campaign, impaired driving continues to be the charge most frequently faced by Canadians. Charge-diversion schemes epitomized by the Ministry of the Attorney-General's Justice on Target initiative, which exchange guilty pleas with shorter periods of driving prohibition for the installation of an ignition interlock device in an offender's vehicle, have not affected the trial rate for these offences as much as some might have hoped. Many members of the defence bar continue to finance a significant proportion of their practice through defending those accused of impaired driving, and many crown attorneys still spend much of their time in court prosecuting the same. Knowledge of the science behind the detection of alcohol impairment is an essential part of the criminal lawyer's toolkit. Impaired driving is an offence in transition, however: recently, Parliament enacted provisions that permitted the certification of so-called "Drug Recognition Experts." These are law enforcement officers trained in recognizing the physical signs of impairment by various legal and illegal drugs and capable of conducting field sobriety tests designed to identify individuals impaired by substances other than alcohol. Whether these tests are methodologically rigorous or merely supply cover for bare police suspicion is a matter of some debate. On Wednesday, February 2 at 12:30 P.M. in the back half of the moot court, the Criminal Law Society will host a discussion of the science of detecting impairment led by Jean-Pierre Palmentier, a toxicologist with the Center for Forensic Sciences. JP will cover everything from Intoxilyzer theory and operation and the manual calculation of blood alcohol concentration through to the science behind drug recognition and field sobriety testing.
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Event Date: Wednesday, January 26, 12:30-2:30 P.M. Event Location: Osgoode Room 104 Did you come to law school to get, y'know, A JOB?Does looking at the balance of your student line of credit make you nauseous? Are you worried that at the end of your studies you may have to sell your organs?On Wednesday, January 26 at 12:30 P.M. in Room 104 the Criminal Law Society will convene its 2010-11 Careers Panel to answer all of your questions about getting work, keeping work, and (most importantly) keeping both of your kidneys once the OSAP/RBC debt collectors start calling. The following practitioners have graciously agreed to attend at the law school and answer your questions about how they got their start in criminal law, whether they like it, and what you should do if you are interested in this area of practice:
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Support AIDWYC by purchasing these greeting cards and help defend the wrongfully convicted!
About the Association
The Association in Defence of the Wrongfully Convicted (AIDWYC) is a non-profit organization based in Toronto that has developed a strong reputation as an advocate for individuals who have been wrongly convicted. The International Review Committee (IRC) at AIDWYC reviews claims of innocence from inmates outside Canada, with many cases coming from the United States. Ray Gray is one of these inmates, and is currently serving his 38th year in prison for a crime he and AIDWYC maintain he did not commit. The IRC is actively working on gathering evidence to mount an application to review his conviction in State Court. About the Artist
In 1973, Raymond Gray’s life and career could not have been brighter. Ray knew his calling. As a talented young artist, Ray enrolled in a fine arts program and was preparing to take his career to the next level. He never made it to his first class. What happened to Ray is the stuff of nightmares, a Kafkaesque tale that sadly has played out far too many times in the justice system. More information about the artist can be found here. About the Cards
To help support AIDWYC’s cause, Ray Gray’s artwork was used to produce unique and inspirational greeting cards. All proceeds will be used to assist claims of innocence by the International Review Committee at AIDWYC. All cards come with an envelope and an optional insert outlining how the purchase of this card supports the wrongfully convicted. Discounted Prices: 1 for $2; 3 for $5; 6 for $10; 10 for $15 How to Order
* To view the cards available for purchase, please click here * Cards will be made available at Osgoode on select days, or upon request. Please place your orders by emailing the quantity and card type(s) to: RitchieJacob@osgoode.yorku.ca |
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Event Date: Wednesday, November 10, 12:30 P.M. Event Location: Room 104, Osgoode
Over the past 20 years, declining birthrates and increased longevity have greatly altered the age demographics of Canadian society. Concomitant with this change is the emergence of a new class of victims of crime: senior citizens, which Health Canada estimates will represent an unprecedented 20% of the Canadian population by 2020. |
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Event Date: Wednesday, October 27, 12:30 P.M. Event Location: Room 104, Osgoode
The recent decision in Bedford v. Canada, 2010 ONSC 4264 (text here) effectively resulted in the decriminalization of prostitution in Canada, as the offences of living on the avails of prostitution, communicating for the purpose of prostitution and keeping a common bawdy-house were found to violate section 7 of the Charter. Lost in the churn of sensational media coverage and the shouts of jubilation and outrage that arose from various corners, however, was any real treatment of the reasoning that underlay the decision itself. How were the issues framed and pleaded by the litigants? What concept of public morality and the role of the state came to the fore in the submissions of the parties, and how did they attempt to sell the court on their perspective? Finally, is the decision a victory for libertarianism over prurience, or was the result arrived at more pragmatically, ie. because of inconsistencies in the way in which Parliament has attempted to regulate prostitution? |
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The Executive of the Criminal Law Society convened its first meeting of the 2010-11 academic year on 2 September 2010. The minutes of that meeting are available here. |
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