Inconsistent policies lead to inequities in searching accused
By Paul Russell, AdvocateDaily.com Contributor Ontario police forces continue to conduct unnecessary strip searches despite constant criticism and admonishment from within the justice system, says Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia. “They’re happening far too often, and the courts are continually trying to draw a line to say, ‘This was an unnecessary strip search, you violated […]
Fight the good fight in war on crime, says Gadhia
By AdvocateDaily Staff Ontario’s criminal lawyers must keep fighting “the good fight” in the face of the Harper government’s tough on crime initiatives, says Roots Gadhia. The Toronto-based sole practitioner says Ottawa’s stance has affected the practice of criminal law considerably. “The government has basically thrown money behind every war on crime initiative that they […]
Even Michael Rafferty deserves fair treatment in court system
Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia says everyone is entitled to representation, regardless of how heinous the crime, even Tori Stafford’s killer Michael Rafferty. And if we relied solely on the public’s opinion of a criminal, the legal system wouldn’t be as fair and balanced as it is today. “Our country stands on principled grounds of […]
Increased surveillance not the answer to gun crime: Gadhia
By Kirsten McMahon, Associate Editor The City of Toronto’s plan to increase surveillance and incorporate new audio technology to detect gunfire in the wake of the Danforth shootings is not going to reduce gun violence, Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia tells The Lawyer’s Daily. The legal publication reports that the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) […]
Inquiry into judge after comments in Alberta sex assault case a positive step
OTTAWA – Alberta’s justice minister has forced an inquiry into a Federal Court judge who asked a sexual assault complainant why she couldn’t keep her knees together. The Canadian Judicial Council said Thursday that the public inquiry will determine whether Justice Robin Camp should be removed from his job. An inquiry is held automatically when […]
Repealing spanking law could have broader legal implications: experts
OTTAWA – Repealing a provision of the Criminal Code that shields parents from facing assault charges for hitting their children would affect more than just First Nations communities, legal experts say. CTV News It would also affect many immigrant and minority parents caught in a legal haze when it comes to child-rearing. Section 43 of […]
‘Intimacy discount:’ Sentences lighter for men who kill female partners
TORONTO – Men who kill their female partners are more likely to be criminally convicted than men accused of killing strangers – but they also tend to get lighter sentences, a Canadian study concludes. The research, being published in the journal “Current Sociology,” finds that men who kill their wives, girlfriends or other female family […]
Issue of access to justice a major flaw in courthouse scheme
By AdvocateDaily.com Staff Planned courthouse assignments for the Toronto area could prevent those charged with offences from getting a timely release on bail, restricting access to justice and clogging the court system, Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia tells AdvocateDaily.com. Gadhia, principal of R. Roots Gadhia Criminal Defence Law, says while the Ontario government is in […]
Recommendations on mentally ill offenders provide good first steps
Offenders with mental health needs should not be in jail, a task force concluded, as it recommended ways Ontario can put fewer people in pre-trial detention, particularly those with mental illness and addiction issues. The task force was established to look at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre after overcrowding got so bad that inmates were reportedly […]
Jail closure announcement met with skepticism
Officials have announced the aging Don Jail will close its doors this fall, but Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia says she’ll believe it when she sees it. “They’ve been talking about this closure for years now,” says Gadhia. “It’s at least a decade overdue. It’s been around since the late 1800s and at that time […]
Quebec attacks on lawyers “shocking,” says Roots Gadhia
Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia says she’s shocked at the news of a third attack on Quebec criminal defence lawyers. “For years Quebec has been well ahead of other provinces in prosecuting mega-trials and trials specificifically connected to organized crime,” she notes. “These trials take on lives of their own. In most cases they have […]
JPs’ jobs too complex for nepotism, says Gadhia
A private member’s bill that would force Ontario’s justices of the peace to meet higher standards for work, is a positive step forward that the province’s criminal lawyers will embrace, says Toronto criminal lawyer Roots Gadhia. Read National Post Story “This is an excellent move and one that I believe the criminal defense bar specifically, […]
