Exam 7: The Structure and Operation of the Criminal Courts

The Supreme Court of Canada receives hundreds of applications for leave to appeal, but only grants about 20 percent of requests.

Tobias believes that judges should be more accountable to the public, particularly when making decisions related to political concerns. Which of the following policies is Tobias likely to support?

Summary trials may involve juries.

Select one type of specialized provincial court and briefly describe its activities and objectives.

Discuss why the case of R v. Sharpe provides a good illustration of the tension between individual rights as set out in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the need to protect the general public.

Discuss how judicial independence is facilitated in the Canadian judicial system.

Bianca is a judge who travels to remote and northern locations in Canada to provide judicial services. Which court is Bianca appointed to?

Define the term "courtroom workgroup." How has this group changed since the introduction of problem-solving courts?

Drug treatment courts are designed to move away from the traditional adversarial approach with the objective of linking offenders with treatment programs and services.

Canadian research studies demonstrate that specialized courts have high program completion rates.

Nicole plays an important role in the courtroom. She is responsible for signing off on all orders and judgments and appointing court employees. What is Nicole's role?

Discuss the use of drug treatment courts in Canada. What are the underlying objectives of their use? Do you think it is possible to achieve these objectives? Discuss the potential obstacles to achieving these objectives. Does the research evidence support continued use of drug treatment courts?

Place yourself in the position of an accused person charged with an electable offence. Would you choose to be tried by a judge sitting alone, or by a judge and a jury? What is your reasoning for selecting one option or the other?

With the exception of Nunavut, the court system in each province/territory is composed of provincial courts and superior courts.

Which statement is NOT true with respect to provincial courts in Canada?

The Supreme Court of Canada is the only federal court in Canada.

In which cases are jury trials NOT available?

Research shows that Aboriginal courts have contributed to major reductions of Aboriginal involvement in the justice system.

The decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada can be appealed to the Federal Court of Canada.

Consider the role of Mental Health Courts. How do these courts operate? Are they effective (according to the research evidence)? Why or why not?