Robert Karrass, Barrister & Solicitor
7636 Yonge Street L4J 1V9 Vaughan, ON, Canada

Interview with me on Mental Health and Criminal Law. https://www.google.ca//zhebin-cong-case-raises-questions-a

Hello Friends, Much to my amazement, someone thought it would be a good idea to nominate me for Canadian Lawyer: Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada - Young Influencer Category. I am very honoured to have been nominated and would really appreciate it if you could take a moment out of your super busy day social distancing, and vote for me.... https://lnkd.in/gysXEBS The Young Influencer Vote is on the first page, but you have to click through all five pages to register your vote. Thanks and I hope you are all staying healthy during these crazy times. Best, Robert Karrass

What you shouldn’t do in legal practice! https://abovethelaw.com//small-firm-lawyer-tells-biglaw-/

What you shouldnt do in legal practice! https://abovethelaw.com//small-firm-lawyer-tells-biglaw-/

Ain’t that the truth!

Interview with me on Mental Health and Criminal Law. https://www.google.ca//zhebin-cong-case-raises-questions-a

Aint that the truth!

Excellent service if you need business portraits. My new portraits coming soon!

Doing a Reddit AMA on mental health and law with respect to the Bisesar NCR Decision. AMA Thursday at noon. https://www.reddit.com//im_robert_karrass_defence_counse/

https://www.cp24.com//woman-accused-in-2015-fatal-path-sta

Positive day in court for an otherwise tragic case.

Election Day in Vaughan!! Below is a link to find your nearest polling stations. Make sure to bring photo ID with your Vaughan address on it or if your ID doesnt have an address also bring a utility bill with your name and address on it. ... If you dont know who to vote for, I suggest the following. Frank Miele - Mayor Vince Scaramuzzo - Ward 1 Carrie Liddy - Ward 2 Victor Lacaria -Ward 3 Styles Q Weinberg - Ward 4 Allan Goldstein - Ward 5 Linda Jackson - Regional Fred Winegust- Regional Aviva Polonsky - Ward 5 School Trustee But no matter who you vote for, make sure you vote! https://www.vaughan.ca/elections/Pages/pollingstation.aspx

Vaughan Municipal Elections are approaching! The City of Vaughan is currently one of the most poorly run, fiscally irresponsible cities in Ontario. After considerable research on each of the candidates platforms, I endorse the following: Vince Scaramuzzo - Ward 1... Carrie Liddy - Ward 2 Victor Lacaria -Ward 3 Styles Q Weinberg - Ward 4 Allan Goldstein - Ward 5 Linda Jackson - Regional Fred Winegust- Regional Frank Miele - Mayor But ... no matter who you vote for, on October 22nd make sure you vote!

Mayoral Candidate and professor of municipal finance, Frank Miele, confirms Vaughan running deficits and applying funds improperly. https://torontosun.com//city-of-vaughan-answers-deficit-al

https://www.google.ca//vaughan-used-water-funds-to-cov/amp

Updated Article... Apparently the Deputy Mayor is calling this "fake news". https://www.cbc.ca//vaughan-ratepayers-demand-217m-back-fr

https://www.cbc.ca//vaughan-ratepayers-demand-217m-back-fr

Doug Ford to privatize retail sale of recreational marijuana. https://www.theglobeandmail.com//article-politics-briefin/

To be able to disagree with the leadership of your country is the essence of democracy. Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican, while the difference was once about how government should be run to best serve the interests of the citizens, it is no longer. It is a sad and terrible day when disagreement is replaced by embarrassment and hope for the future is replaced with fear of what the future has in store.

Another interesting day in court.

Another interesting article about the #MeToo Movement.

An interesting take on the minimum wage increase.

An interesting article by my friend Sunira Chaudhri! However, I think its important to note that one of the biggest motivating factors of going civil instead of criminal is that criminal law requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt while the civil courts require a much lower threshold, proof on a balance of probabilities (meaning is it more likely than not).

An interesting day in court. Sad, but very interesting.

http://nationalpost.com//rohinie-bisesar-mentally-unfit-to

KROOOPS is an organization protesting the Peel District School Board's decision to allow organized prayer in public schools (in part) on the basis that freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. Put another way, while everyone has the right to teach, learn, and practice any religion of their choice in their homes, places of worship, and religious communities, there is a legitimate and significant legal question about whether allowing organized prayer in public sch...ools infringes on the rights of children and their families to agnostic/secular education as well as the right not to be exposed to any religious practices if that is their wish. However, there are many groups other than KROOOPS protesting the PDSB's decision and the source of their malcontent is varied. A number of individuals seem to be protesting based on a fear or hatred of Islam and/or Muslims which is entirely inappropriate. Threats of violence and hate speech have no place in any society and definitely have no place in this Society which is known for its diversity and multiculturalism. What are your thoughts? Does organized prayer (regardless of the religion it adheres to) belong in public schools? (Hateful or Inappropriate comments will be deleted). https://www.google.ca//a-battle-over-prayer-in-schools-tes

KROOOPS is an organization protesting the Peel District School Boards decision to allow organized prayer in public schools (in part) on the basis that freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. Put another way, while everyone has the right to teach, learn, and practice any religion of their choice in their homes, places of worship, and religious communities, there is a legitimate and significant legal question about whether allowing organized prayer in public sch...ools infringes on the rights of children and their families to agnostic/secular education as well as the right not to be exposed to any religious practices if that is their wish. However, there are many groups other than KROOOPS protesting the PDSBs decision and the source of their malcontent is varied. A number of individuals seem to be protesting based on a fear or hatred of Islam and/or Muslims which is entirely inappropriate. Threats of violence and hate speech have no place in any society and definitely have no place in this Society which is known for its diversity and multiculturalism. What are your thoughts? Does organized prayer (regardless of the religion it adheres to) belong in public schools? (Hateful or Inappropriate comments will be deleted). https://www.google.ca//a-battle-over-prayer-in-schools-tes

https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca//justice-delayed-is-justice

This is a really bad call by the Supreme Court! https://beta.theglobeandmail.com//lawyer/article34980404/

The Law Society has been going after Diamond & Diamond for some time now. Over the last while, the Law Society has implemented a number of changes in the profession with what seems to be the specific purpose of cutting Diamond & Diamond down to size. However, not all of the changes have been for the public interest, despite the Law Society's mandate.

Criminal law falls within the mandate of the federal government so criminal law is federal, not provincial. While the Globe and Mail is commenting on an Alberta case, in every province it is the crowns duty to screen all cases to determine whether there is a reasonable prospect of conviction. Where there is no reasonable prospect a crown should withdraw the charges. This is true for cases as simple as uttering threats to cases as complex as 1st degree murder. According to th...e Globe and Mail, "The Alberta government is instructing prosecutors not to waste time and money on serious and violent cases including first-degree murder when they have only a slim chance of a conviction. Instead, they are being told to accept plea bargains to lesser offences. In minor cases, a police arrest with no prosecution at all may be enough of a deterrent. And they need not prosecute complex, time-consuming fraud cases if an offender has already faced sanctions from a regulatory body. The instructions are part of a new triage protocol in which prosecutors must now ask themselves, for crimes at the highest end just as at the lowest, whether securing a difficult conviction is worth the effort and expense. While victim rights are important, the public needs to remember that criminal law is not about a victims day in court or making the victim whole, it is about assigning blame and determining the appropriate punishment. Often times where there is no reasonable prospect of conviction prosecutors may offer plea bargains to lesser charges to secure a conviction. For financial crimes, where a regulatory body has already assigned blame and sanctions, often times it would be redundant to proceed in the criminal court for a second determination guilt and penalty." This form of triage is necessary and is not new to the criminal justice system. http://karrasslaw.com/criminal-justice-system-work/

Police Need Better Training to Deal With The Mentally Ill Is the criminalization of mental illness a by-product of police action? Those living with mental illness are over-represented in Canadas justice system. Approximately 36 per cent of federal offenders need psychiatric or psychological follow-up. Further, 45 per cent of male inmates and 69 per cent of female inmates receive institutional mental health care services, according to a report by Sapers & Zinger (2012)....Continue reading

The Deadly Side of Tasers Policing is a difficult job with inherent and constant risk to those tasked with protecting the public and upholding the law. Police safety must be a priority, but at what cost? Non-lethal force should be and is the standard according to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Use of Force Guideline, while lethal force is the exception and should only be used where it is necessary to protect against loss of life or serious bodily h...Continue reading

There has been a lot of negative commentary about this but this is the system working. While this is obviously a terrible and sad situation, this has nothing to do with being soft on crime, this has to do with the criminalization of mental illness and the over-representation of those living with mental illness in the criminal justice system. Mental illness is not an excuse for bad behavior, if a person affected by mental illness cannot appreciate the consequences of his or ...her actions or is unable to appreciate that the action is wrong they will be found not criminally responsible and will fall under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board. Eventually after treatment and close monitoring, they will qualify to be released from that jurisdiction by way of a discharge.

A Few of Many Important Supreme Court of Canada Cases in 2016. Constitutional Law/Charter: Judicial Independence; Financial Security Conférence des juges de paix magistrats du Québec v. Québec (Attorney General), 2016 SCC 39(36165)...Continue reading

Interesting collection of 2016 criminal cases.