ENCS 352 Midterm 1

• set of rules that apply to everyone equally and reflect societal norms
• recognize and protect basic individual rights and freedoms
• carry out social policies -> allow systems to be put into place for the gov't to provide (ex. insurance for unemployed, benefits for injured workers, health care)

• sets the rules for the relationship between the individual and society 
• ex. criminal law, constitutional law, administrative law

crime and punishment

• defines relationships between governments and various branches of government
• limits the exercise of government power over individuals (ex. human rights and freedoms)

deals with actions ad operations of government

• sets the rules between individuals
• settles disputes between groups and compensates victims

civil wrongs dealt with in private law

• exists in past decisions, guides judges in later decision making in similar cases
• law that isn't written down as legislation
• flexible, adapts to changing circumstances

• civil law is based on a code that has a comprehensive statement of rules 
• broad general principles that can deal with any dispute that arises 
• courts in civil-law systems look at civil code first, then refer to previous decisions to check consistency
• ex. Quebec

• carry out purposes of general law or expand on them
• have force of law
• departments or other organizations can be granted authority to make regulations

laws must be consistently reformed to makes sure the system of law and order meet challenges of contemporary society

Constitution Act (1867) and Constitution Act (1982)

• executive
• legislative
• judiciary

• Queen has executive power in Canada, but within Canada they're exercised by ministers in the house of commons
• ministers and PM form the cabinet
• responsible to parliament for government business and civil service

• parliament
• passes laws

• composed of judges 
• judges are appointed
• judges must interpret and apply the law and Constitution
• the court system

• all of canada
• only about matters of the Constitution

only matters concerning provinces and territories and that only apply within the provincial/territorial boundaries

• a country that has two law systems working at the same time
• ex. Canada, has common and civil law systems

special body of rules which seeks to protect? manage? improve? the environment and humans' relationship with the environment

• checks and balances on unrestricted government power
• a) everyone is bound by the law
• b) no one is above the law
• c) public powers must be authorized by law
• d) laws must be intelligible, published, accessible
• e) laws are enforced by an independent judiciary

• "beyond a reasonable doubt"
• 90% sure or more
• to protect the accused from being wrongly accursed

• "balance of probabilities"
• 50% sure or more

• Property interest
• Personal (health) interest 
• or
• Pecuniary (financial) interest

• is a serious issue being raised?
• does the applicant have a 'genuine interest' in the litigation?
• is the applicant in a better position to bring the action than anyone else?

• deliberate interference with property
• no consent/permission/lawful right to be there
• ex. discharge of sawmill dust, ash, smoke, etc + deposit of stores or fill + aerial application of pesticides

• is the plaintiff the landowner/occupant?
• did the defendant unreasonably interfere with the plaintiff's use and enjoyment of their property?
• are there damages?
• ex. odour, noise, dust, litter from a waste disposal site + escape of methane gas from a waste disposal site

• infringement of rights enjoyed by the public in general
• must be so widespread that no single person could reasonably be suspected to take the action/prevent it
• the AG or MoJ can prevent the litigation from going forward -> if its a political decision

• duty of care
• standard of care
• causation
• damage
• ex. failed to see through a safety check that lead to an accident

• did the defendant make a non-natural use of the land?
• did a substance or item escape?
• were there damages?
• ex. escape of fire onto adjoining lands, escape of sewage

ex. AER, environmental appeals alberta

• general court of AB
• lawyers with at least 10 years at the bar
• civil division, family law, criminal division (general divisions)

person who was unhappy with the provincial court for criminal matters or any case in the Court of Queen's Bench

• usually own't take your case unless:
• novel area of law
• areas that go into constitutional law

• deal with issues of federal jurisdiction
• ex. refugee and immigrant protection act
• indigenous issues arising under the Indian Act

national energy board

• large number of plaintiffs impacted by the same event or set of facts
• a representative plaintiff (one) brings one action on behalf of all affected parties
• result of the court decision binds all involved
• ex. volkswagen "clean" diesel emissions

• once a legal action is underway, other interested parties may want to become involved
• often provide submissions

• causation is established when the harm suffered to the plaintiff would not have occurred 'but for' the defendant's action
• causation is established on a balance of probabilities (burden of proofs)
• causation is often the most difficult to prove

• liability: proof of the elements of the cause of action
• remedy: relates to compensation

liability and remedy

• special damages
• general damages
• punitive damages

compensate plaintiff for quantifiable monetary losses (ex. dollar value)

money to compensate, but no quantifiable dollar value

• used to punish the defendants
• used VERY rarely in Canada

requires defendant to do something (mandatory injunction) or refrain from doing something (prohibitory injunction)

simply a finding of the court and may not provide relief to the plaintiff but may assist in further private or public action

• to protect defendants from frivolous lawsuits
• encourages alternative dispute resolution processes (ex. arbitration or mediation)