Dalhousie Legal Aid Service wishes to congratulate Shawna Hoyte, one of our own staff lawyers, who argued a case before the Supreme Court of Canada on February 25th.  Shawna has been working tirelessly on this case of national importance, concerning the rights of youth under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The case is about what procedural requirements should be followed when questioning a young person. 

Should any special measures be taken in order to ascertain that the young person clearly understands his or her rights? 

To read the Court of Appeal's decision, go to: http://decisions.courts.ns.ca/nsca/2006/2006nsca112.html.  Information about the case at the Supreme Court of Canada can be found at: http://cases-dossiers.scc-csc.gc.ca/information/cms/case_summary_e.asp?31763.

I'm sure you'll join us all in congratulating Shawna on her tremendous work on this case.  The proud tradition of DLAS defending the rights of the vulnerable in Canada's highest court lives on.

Megan Leslie
Community Legal Worker
Dalhousie Legal Aid Service 

Professor Richard Evans was also present at the hearing. More to the point, so too were two former DLAS students, Carolyn Shelly and Misty Morrison.

Carolyn had worked on the SCC aspect of the case while she was a student during the 2007 Clinic summer term. Misty took over the file last fall.

Professor Evans noted that he was fully engaged and impressed watching Shawna make her argument while fielding numerous questions from all seven sitting judges during the hour she was on her feet. For the two students, their experience working for a term at the Clinic, has now most certainly left them with a learning experience that will be with them for a very long time.

In due course we will learn if the SCC overturns the NSCA and restores the trial judge’s ruling on the voir dire and the related acquittal of the young person represented by DLAS.