{"id":18628,"date":"2021-08-05T11:28:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T15:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/?post_type=case_summary&#038;p=18628"},"modified":"2025-06-30T20:04:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T00:04:27","slug":"as-v-hmq","status":"publish","type":"case_summary","link":"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/fr\/case_summary\/as-v-hmq\/","title":{"rendered":"A.S. v. H.M.Q. (2022)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This case concerns the rights of complainants in sexual assault trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LEAF intervened before the Supreme Court of Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This case involves a constitutional challenge to the legal framework governing what happens when an accused person has a&nbsp;sexual assault complainant\u2019s private records&nbsp;in their possession.&nbsp;Under that&nbsp;framework,&nbsp;the&nbsp;accused person&nbsp;cannot surprise the complainant with these records during&nbsp;their&nbsp;trial. Instead, the accused person must ask the judge to hold a hearing and decide whether or not to allow the records to be used in court.&nbsp; The judge&nbsp;will consider different factors&nbsp;in making the decision, including factors supporting the equality rights of complainants. Complainants have the right to participate in these hearings. They also have the right to have access to independent counsel to help them participate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arguments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LEAF argued that\u00a0the\u00a0framework\u00a0is constitutional, as it\u00a0enhances\u00a0the equality rights of complainants\u00a0while respecting the accused\u2019s right to full answer and\u00a0defence.\u00a0Sexual assault complainants\u00a0are\u00a0uniquely vulnerable participants in the criminal legal system. They are also deeply impacted by the use of their private records. The challenged legal framework recognizes\u00a0and responds to\u00a0that reality. It promotes the equality, dignity, and privacy rights of complainants.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outcome<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A majority of the Supreme Court upheld the legal framework put in place to protect the equality rights of complainants in sexual assault cases. In upholding the framework, the majority recognized that criminal trials \u201ccan be invasive, humiliating, and degrading for victims of sexual offences\u201d and that \u201c[m]ore needs to be done.\u201d The Court also provided more clarity on how the framework should be implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LEAF is grateful to Kelley Bryan (PBP Lawyers) and Karen Steward, counsel for LEAF in this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the factum <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leaf.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/39516_LEAF_Factum_SUITABLE-FOR-POSTING.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read the Supreme Court of Canada&rsquo;s decision <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canlii.org\/en\/ca\/scc\/doc\/2022\/2022scc28\/2022scc28.html?autocompleteStr=R%20v%20JJ%202022&amp;autocompletePos=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LEAF&rsquo;s arguments are informed and supported by a case committee composed of academics and practitioners with expertise in relevant issues. The committee members for this intervention are (in alphabetical order): Frances Chapman (Lakehead University), Elaine Craig (Dalhousie University), and Karen Segal (Allevato Quail &amp; Roy). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[],"tags":[276,505,256],"class_list":["post-18628","case_summary","type-case_summary","status-publish","hentry","tag-access-to-justice","tag-complainants","tag-sexual-assault"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A.S. v. H.M.Q. (2022) - LEAF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A.S. v. 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