By Julius Melnitzer | October 12, 2026
CANIZARES DISBARRED, AGAIN
Nicholas Canizares has been disbarred for the second time. The Toronto lawyer lost his licence in 1989 and won it back in 2009, on his undertaking to stay out of real estate and criminal law. On October 5, the Law Society Tribunal revoked his licence again, this time for real estate fraud and for misappropriating about $163,861 in trust funds. In January, BBB took the LSO to task for waiting almost two years after suspending Canizares to start conduct proceedings. Once it did, the case took nine months.
ABUSE SURVIVORS SUE OTTAWA OVER JORDAN INACTION
Twenty-one plaintiffs, most of them survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence, are suing the federal government for $22 million. They claim the feds failed to act on R. v. Jordan, the Supreme Court’s 2016 decision capping trial delays, and abusers are walking free because of it. Charges against Melanie Hatton’s ex-husband were stayed a week before trial. He has since breached protection orders 37 times. “We’re not asking for a perfect outcome,” says the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Kathryn Marshall of Toronto’s Marshall Law. “We just want women to have a trial.” Marshall says Crowns use Jordan to squeeze out plea deals and peace bonds, which leave no criminal record. Ottawa moves to strike the claim on December 9, arguing that the issues aren’t for the courts and that the administration of justice belongs to the provinces. Justice Canada points to the new Protecting Victims Act, which lets judges use remedies other than stays for delay. But it says the law will only work if the provinces “do their part.”
LITIGANT HIDES AI PROMPTS IN COURT FILING
A Connecticut litigant tried to rig AI review of his court filings and lost his e-filing privileges for it. Matthew Elliott, who is suing New York Bariatric Group, slipped three-point white-on-white text into a motion, telling any AI that read it to side with him. Later filings contained more hidden prompts. Connecticut courts don’t use AI to review filings, but Judge Walter Spader Jr. sanctioned him anyway, likening the stunt to an automated agent communicating covertly with a juror during trial, 404 Media reports. “This kind of scary incident should sound an alarm,” says Barry Leon of Toronto’s Arbitration Place. “We need to remain aware of the constantly evolving risks, not just of our use of AI but of the use of AI by others involved in the process.”
TREATABLE PEDOPHILE DODGES DANGEROUS OFFENDER LABEL
Michael Ferguson pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four young girls. He had already served time in Oklahoma for raping a young girl. Still, Ontario Superior Court Justice Michelle Fuerst refused to declare him a dangerous offender. Psychiatrist Philip Klassen, chosen jointly by the Crown and the defence, rated Ferguson “an average sexual offender” at moderate risk. Ferguson instead got a long-term offender designation and a 16-year sentence, which leaves about eight years to serve, followed by 10 years of supervision. His lawyer, Daniel Brodsky of Toronto, calls it a “tough & ugly case.” Brodsky adds that Ferguson has never been treated for his pedophilia, even though there is “a standard, evidence-based course of treatment/management that has been proven to work and reduce recidivism.”
EPIQ PICKS BERTRAND FOR CANADIAN CLASS ACTION ADMINISTRATION
Epiq has named Geneviève Bertrand vice-president, class action solutions, to run its Canadian class action administration practice. Bertrand, a bilingual litigator with more than 15 years of experience, has worked on class actions in the pharmaceutical, product liability, insurance and securities sectors. She has appeared at every level of court in Quebec, the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Julius Melnitzer is a Toronto-based legal affairs writer, ghostwriter, writing coach and media trainer. Readers can reach him at julius@legalwriter.net or on his website.