Criminal Jury Trials Seminar 2022
Criminal jury trials pose unique procedural, evidentiary, and substantive law challenges. This seminar focused on criminal jury practice and law, from pre-trial conferencing to taking of the verdict, as well as a variety of evidentiary and substantive law issues trial judges will likely encounter in these cases.
Number of Participants: 48
Overview
Criminal jury trials pose unique procedural, evidentiary, and substantive law challenges. This seminar focused on criminal jury practice and law, from pre-trial conferencing to taking of the verdict, as well as a variety of evidentiary and substantive law issues trial judges will likely encounter in these cases.
Objective
The objective of this seminar was to provide judges with comprehensive training on the evidentiary, procedural, and substantive law challenges that arise in criminal jury trials, from pre-trial conferencing through to the taking of the verdict, and to prepare trial judges for a variety of evidentiary and substantive law issues they are likely to encounter in these cases.
Summary
Led by experienced judges, and delivered using a combination of brief lectures, panel presentations, table exercises and small group discussions, this seminar covered a variety of topics including tips for running a jury selection, the impact of R v Cowan on instructions on party liabilities, addressing ss. 276 and 278 Criminal Code applications arising mid-trial, exercising trial management powers after R v Samaniego, refining jury instructions based on R v W(D), sentencing after a jury verdict and the need to find facts.