The OBA office will be closed from December 24 to January 2 for the holidays and will resume normal operations on January 5.

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Criminal Justice

From programming and advocacy to peer recognition and relevant resources, OBA Section membership connects you with education, engagement and leadership opportunities to propel you to the forefront of your area of practice.

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Resources, Articles, & Advocacy

Article | December 24, 2025

Driving this Holiday Season: Understanding offences of impaired driving and dangerous driving

Impaired driving and dangerous driving are both illegal and equally serious criminal offences. They are technically rather different when it comes to the Crown proving their elements in court and for counsel defending the accused. Notably, consumption of alcohol, short of the point of impairment, is not the element of the offence of dangerous operation. However, it is “a relevant factor for the trier of fact in considering the mens rea element of the offence of dangerous driving:" R. v. McLennan, 2016 ONCA 732, at para. 27.

Legislative Update | December 19, 2025

Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of December 15

CRR Final Report Released: The Civil Rule Review (CRR) Working Group's Final Policy Report, is now available online. The 200+ page document proposes a broad range of reforms across core areas of the civil litigation process to help reduce delays and costs and increase access to the civil justice system for Ontario litigants.

Criminal Justice | December 15, 2025

MAG - Expansion of Digital Information and Repository (DIR) Solution in the Northeast and Northwest Regions

The Digital Information and Repository (DIR) solution will be expanded to Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) criminal court locations across the Northeast and Northwest Regions in March 2026.

Advocacy | December 12, 2025

Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of December 8

Central East Civil Trial List: The January 2026 Central East Civil Blitz Trial List has been released. This list details the matters that may be called during the upcoming civil trial sittings, scheduled to commence on January 5, 2026, and continue for three weeks.

Ontario Court of Justice | December 11, 2025

OCJ Written Consent Release Pilot Project Practice Direction