Canadian Criminal Procedure and Practice/Cases/Warrantless Searches
Detention and Search: Generally
edit| Case | Citation | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. v. Ahmed-Kadir and McFadyen | 2011 BCPC 250 | N | Y | N | |
| R. v. Brown | 2011 ONSC 6250 | - | N | N | vehicle pulled over after chase; alleged detained by police pursuit |
| R. v. Ryan | 2010 NJ No. 173 | N | Y | Y | breath test |
| R. v. G.C. | 2010 NSPC 10 [1] | N | N | N | while executing search warrant, pat-down search of accused for weapons; finds drugs |
| R. v. Cunsolo | 2009 CanLII 60775 (ON S.C.) | N | Y | N | premature arrest of fraudster |
| R. v. N.O. | 2009 ABCA 75 | N | Y | Y | police observe hand-to-hand, search accused, find drugs |
| R. v. Harada | 2008 BCSC 1346 | N | N | N | pull over car; patdown search of driver |
| R. v. Nesbeth | [2008] O.J. No. 3086 (C.A.) | - | Y | Y | |
| R. v. Peters | 2007 ABCA 181 | N | N | N | police see accused matching description of person with gun; searched backpack twice, found gun |
| R. v. Chambers | 2007 ABQB 712 | N | N | N | after seeing signs of drug transaction, accused is strip searched, and searched vehicle |
| R. v. Y.(S.) | 2006 ONCJ 403 | N | N | N | person standing near car registered to person with warrant; several minor reasons for pull-over |
| R. v. Ngo | 2005 ONCJ 217 | arbitrary detention | |||
| R. v. B.A.D.G. | 2005 BCPC 504 | N | N | N | police get report of B&E suspects, see accused shortly after; patdown search reveals knife |
| R. v. Sepulveda | 2005 BCPC 236 | N | N | N | pat-down search of woman known to police; accused spit on officer |
| R. v. K.W. | 2004 O.J. No.5327 (OCJ) | Y | police officers had no grounds to suspect that the accused was connected to any criminal activity; he “must be doing something” because of the very general surrounding circumstances. | ||
| R. v. Power | 2003 SKQB 334 | ||||
| R. v. Burke | 1997 CanLII 10867 (NL C.A.) | N | N | N | overturn s.9 breach; officer had sufficient reason to pull over accused |
- R. v. Dauda, 2011 ONCJ 799 || s.8 and 9 violation, exlcuded under 24(2); seen avoiding police, threw something away; found <4 g cocaine
Vehicle Stops
edit- R v Vulic, 2012 SKQB 221 - violated s.9, drugs excluded
- R. v. McCammon, 2012 MBQB 154 - violated s. 9, evidence excluded
Personal Search
edit| Case | Citation | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. v. Rose | 2012 ONSC 350 | ? | Y | Y | arrested accused based on finding marijuana on co-accused. |
| R. v. Osolky | 2009 ONCJ 445 | Y | N | Y | patdown search; evidence excluded |
| R. v. F. (C.J.) | 2008 SKPC 51 | N | N | N | officer responds to mischief complaint; sees youths; accused run away; searches him and finds weapon; |
| R. v. Ferdinand | 2004 O.J. No. 3209 (SCJ) | Y | Y | officer’s hunch about the actions of the accused, (based on his “Spidey sense,”) was insufficient basis |
Vehicle Search
edit| Case | Citation | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Evidence at issue | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R v Turpin | 2012 SKCA 50 | Y | Y | Y | drugs | |
| R. v. Forster | 2009 ABPC 278 | Y | - | Y | drugs | search of vehicle incident to arrest was improper. The officer cannot have reasonably expected to find evidence in vehicle from an offence 6 months prior.(para. 18-19). Excluded under s. 24(2), police were careless. |
| R. v. Anderson | 2011 ABPC 326 | Y | N | Y | crack cocaine | drugs found in vehicle |
| R. v. Ruddock | 2011 ABPC 105 | Y | N | Y | also found breach of s.10(a) and 10(b) | |
| R v Savage | 2011 SKCA 65 | N | N | N | use of sniffer dog; | |
| R. v. Chubak | 2009 ABCA 8 | N | - | - | drugs | Officers respond to report of stabbing/beating—see vehicle with D inside with bear spray- D searched and find knife on him; police search car for more weapons; police find weapons, drugs, and ringing cell phone; trial judge says police can’t search for drugs; appeal court says they can; search for multiple reasons is valid as long as objectively justified (para. 18) |
| R. v. Arabi | 2007 ABQB 303 | Y | Y | Y | search of person and vehicle after seeing possible drug transaction | |
| R. v. Dykhuizen | 2007 ABQB 489 | Y | - | ? | mistaken ID of accused for a kidnapping suspect; found licence was expired; searched | |
| R. v. Calder | 2006 ABCA 307 | Y | Y | Y | gun | sees possible drug transaction; searches backpack, finds gun |
| R. v. T.T.H. | 2006 ABPC 320 | Y | - | N | search vehicle based on unsafe driving and suspicious comments from driver | |
| R. v. Batzer | 2005 CanLII 33026 (ON C.A.) | Y | N | Y | search of glovebox of car after detaining accused on rough description | |
| R. v. Cox | 1999 CanLII 13119 (NB C.A.) | Y | Y | Y | plainclothes officer searched car at roadblock due to smell of "bulk" tobacco | |
| R. v. Keshane | 1995 CanLII 4054 (SK C.A.) | Y | - | N | warrantless search of a trunk of accused's car | |
| R. v. D. (I.D.) | 1987 CanLII 206 (SK C.A.) | Y | - | ? | search of vehicle on spotting it stopped in ditch and detect smell of alcohol |
Smell of marijuana
edit| Case | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. v. Fierro, 2012 ABPC 1 | N | N | N | detailed review of law |
| R. v. Grunwald, 2010 BCCA 288 | N | N | N | traffic check set-up; stops accused's vehicle, smells marijuana, sees large bags in back of truck; no expectation of privacy |
| R. v. Harding, 2010 ABCA 180 | N | N | N | police stop car, obscured plates, rental car, two large bags in the back, smell marijuana -- search incident to arrest finds drugs -- no breach of s.10(b) |
| R. v. Pearson, 2009 ABQB 382 | Y | - | N | breach found but evidence admitted |
| R. v. Hood, 2008 BCPC 217 | Y | ? | Y | |
| R. v. Rosa, 2008 ABQB 723 | ||||
| R. v. Webster, 2008 BCCA 458 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Favorite, 2008 CanLII 13364 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Charles, 2007 CanLII 39760 (ON SC) | Y | ? | Y | |
| R. v. Huynh, 2005 ABPC 238 | N | - | - | no s.8 breach found |
| R. v. Calderon, 2004 CanLII 7569 | Y | Y | Y | |
| R. v. Ladouceur, 2002 SKCA 73 | ? | Y | Y | |
| R. v. Sewell, 2003 SKCA 52 | N | - | - | |
| R. v. Power, 2003 SKQB 334 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Yan & Chan, 2002 BCPC 574 | Y | - | Y | pull over on basis of broad search for cat burglar; smells marijuana from car ; breach of s. 8 found -- evidence excluded |
| R. v. Duong, 2002 BCCA 43 | N | no s.8 breach -- smell of marijuana coming out front door of house | ||
| R. v. Zagar, 1998 ABPC 59 | Y | - | Y | |
| R. v. Lawrence, [1994] O.J. No. 3272 | N | N | N | smell fresh burnt marijuana; allowed search down pants of accused |
| R. v. Iturriaga, 1993 CanLII 2517 (BC CA) | Y | ? | Y |
Informers/Tips
edit| Case | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hewlett v. R., 2012 CanLII 46405 (NL SCTD) | N | - | N | search warrant |
| R. v. Gorman and Gorman, 2012 ONSC 4605 | N | - | N | search warrant |
| R v Franko, 2012 ABQB 282 | N | - | N | confidential source reports drug dealers activities |
| R v Perpeluk, 2012 SKQB 189 | Y | - | Y | two confidential informers give tips |
| R. v. Quach, 2012 ABPC 57 | N | N | N | evidence admitted, judge had no issue with motive of informer |
| R. v. Soto, 2011 ONCA 828 | N | N | N | informer reports dealing out of a house; police corroborate with observations of house |
| R. v. Bick, 2011 ONCJ 503 | N | N | N | search of house based on tip |
| R. v. Hillgardener, 2010 ABCA 80 | N | N | N | anonymous informer was reliable |
| R. v. Jir, 2010 BCCA 497 | Y | N | N | |
| R. v. Safi, 2010 ABCA 151 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Raphael, [2010] O.J. No. 5916, 2010 ONSC 5709 | Y | Y | Y | |
| Bjornson, 2009 BCSC 1779 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Tetreault, 2007 BCSC 1624 | N | - | N | |
| R. v. Wing, 2007 BCSC 1959 | Y | ? | N | |
| McCallum, 2006 SKQB 287 | N | N | N | |
| Goodine v. R., 2006 NBCA 109 | N | ? | N | |
| R. v. Layton, 2006 BCPC 655 | N | ? | ? | |
| R. v. Murphy, 2006 CanLII 12417 (ON CA) | N | N | N | confidential informer gave sufficient details to form grounds of arrest |
| R. v. Bracchi, 2005 BCCA 461 [2] | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Campbell, 2003 MBCA 76 (CanLII) [3] | Y | - | N | |
| R. v. Myers, 2003 CanLII 36859 (ON SC) | Y | N | N | |
| R. v. Ungaro, 2003 BCPC 137 | Y | ? | Y | |
| R. v. Philpott [2002] O.J. No. 4872 | search warrant | |||
| R. v. Jones, 2001 CanLII 28336 (ON SC) | Y | - | Y | warrant to search apartment |
| R. v. Warford, 2001 NFCA 64 | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Lewis, 1998 CanLII 7116 (ON CA) | Y | - | N | |
| R. v. Smellie, 1994 CanLII 1612 (BC CA) | N | N | N | multiple informers |
| R. v. Zammit, 1993 CanLII 3424 (ON CA) | Y | - | Y | |
| R. v. Lamy, 1993 CanLII 3368 (MB CA) | Y | - | Y | |
| R. v. Charlton, 1992 CanLII 367 (BC CA) | N | N | N | |
| R. v. Cheecham, (1989) 51 C.C.C. (3d) 498 | Y | ? | Y | |
| R. v. Pastro 1988 CanLII 214 (SK C.A.) | Y | ? | Y |
Search Incident to Arrest
edit| Case | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R v Schira, 2011 SKPC 140 | Y | N | Y | breach of s.10(b) as well; contents of blackberry messages excluded |
| R. v. Ward, 2010 BCCA 1 | Y | ? | N | search incident to arrest -- found crack |
| R. v. Tosczak, 2010 SKCA 10 | N | ? | N | pat-down search incident to arrest for possession of marijuana |
| R. v. Goodwin, 2009 ABQB 710 | Y | ? | ? | arrest invalid |
| R. v. Chubak, 2009 ABCA 8 | ? | ? | ? | |
| R. v. Lamour, 2007 CanLII 15242 (ON S.C.) | Y | ? | N | arrested accused from impaired driving; did inventory search that included non-plain view items |
| R. v. Roberts, 2007 CanLII 39895 (ON S.C.) | N | N | N | search vehicle incident to arrest for firearm lawful |
| R. v. Kitaitchik, 2002 CanLII 45000 (ON C.A.) | Y | ? | N | warrantless seizure of clothing worn by accused in murder investigation |
Search of residence
edit| Case | s.8 | s.9 | s.24 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. v. Latham and Ryan, 2012 BCPC 78 | Y | - | Y | warrantless search of basement apartment |
| R v Helary, 2012 SKPC 15 | Y | ? | Y | |
| R v Laliberte, 2011 SKPC 190 | Y | - | N | source info brings police to house; they are invited into vestibule; smell marijuana; enter into reminder of house after accused runs away. No consent to enter. |
| R. v. Got, 2011 BCPC 328 | Y | ? | ? | warrantless entry into residence found in violation of s.8 |
| R. v. Stevens, 2011 ONCJ 794 | Y | - | Y | police enter home without warrant and search house |
| R. v. Thompson, 2010 ONSC 2862 | Y | - | N | search of home found drugs |
| R. v. Watson, 2010 ONSC 448 | Y | Y | pat-down search finds drugs; followed by search of residence |
Breath sample
editSee Canadian_Criminal_Law/Appendix/Case_Law#Impaired_Driving
Cell phones
edit| Case | Summary |
|---|---|
| R. v. Mann, 2012 BCSC 1247 (CanLII) | |
| R. v. Munro & Munro, 2012 ONSC 43 | cell phone search indicent to arrest -- admitted |
| R. v. Groves, 2011 ONCJ 350 | |
| R. v. Dorey, 2011 NSPC 85 | |
| R. v. Hiscoe, 2011 NSPC 84 | |
| R. v. Manley, 2011 ONCA 128 | |
| R. v. Fearon, 2010 ONCJ 645 | |
| R. v. Zahrebelny, 2010 NSPC 91 | |
| R. v. Finnikin, 2009 CanLII 82187 (ON SC) |
Location Tracker
edit| Case | Summary |
|---|---|
| R. v. Bacon, 2012 BCCA 323 | warrantless tracker violated s.8 but saved under 24(2) |