Law Times

Page 20 September 3, 2018 • Law timeS www.lawtimesnews.com u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story "Perhaps I should have been more explicit. It's going to be a summary conviction, not a summery one." WOULD YOU LIKE SPRINKLES WITH THAT? LONG BEACH, Calif. — Two men were arrest- ed Aug. 26 after an investigation revealed that methamphetamine and marijuana were being sold from an ice cream truck in Long Beach, ac- cording to KTLA5 TV. Detectives were conducting a narcotics in- vestigation in the 3200 block of East Artesia Boulevard and subsequently arrested Monti Ware, 41, and George Williams, 57, both resi- dents of Long Beach, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Ware was booked into the city jail on suspi- cion of possession of a controlled substance for sales, possession of a firearm while selling drugs and being a former felon in possession of a gun and ammunition, police said. Inmate records showed his bail was set at US$50,000. Williams was booked on suspicion of pos- session of a controlled substance for sales and was being held on US$30,000 bail, according to the police department. Investigators believe the ice cream truck was being used as a front. Authorities said they also recovered a firearm. The street value of the confiscated drugs was estimated to be between US$2,000 and US$4,000. SWIPE LEFT ON THIS GUY LOS ANGELES — A man dubbed the "dine- and-dash dater" after being accused of meeting women at restaurants across the Los Angeles area only to leave them with the bill pleaded not guilty to charges of theft and extortion on Aug. 27, prosecutors said, according to KTLA5 TV. Paul Guadalupe Gonzales, 45, allegedly con- nected with a string of women through dating apps and websites and invited them out to din- ner between May 2016 and this April with the intent of using them as a meal ticket, the L.A. County District Attorney's Office said in a news release. He arranged dates at restaurants in Pasa- dena, Long Beach, Burbank and Los Angeles, where he ordered and consumed food and drinks, then disappeared before the bill had been paid, the DA's office said. Eight women told prosecutors they'd footed the bill, one of them under the belief that Gon- zales would pay her back. In total, Gonzales is accused of defrauding the women of more than $950. Gonzales was taken into custody Aug. 25 in Pasadena. He was subsequently charged with seven counts of extortion, two counts of attempted extortion and one count of grand theft — all felonies. He also faces two misdemeanor counts each of defrauding an innkeeper and petty theft. If convicted as charged, the defendant could spend up to 13 years in state prison, prosecutors said. Gonzales is scheduled to return to court in Pasadena for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7. TORONTO TO OPEN SEX DOLL BROTHEL TORONTO — Toronto will soon be home to North America's first known sex doll brothel, offering sexual services with six silicone-made dolls, reports the Toronto Star. According to the website for Aura Dolls, the company behind the brothel, the vision is to bring a new way to achieve sexual needs "with- out the many restrictions and limitations that a real partner may come with." The brothel is expected to open in a shop- ping plaza on Yonge St., south of Sheppard Ave., on Sept. 8. The company doesn't give the exact location on its website, stating it's announced upon booking. There are six different female sex dolls advertised. The company says it plans on expanding its collection "in the near future" and will add male dolls. Spending half an hour with one doll costs $80, with two dolls running $160. For an hour, the cost is $120 with one doll. The maximum listed time is four hours for $480 per doll. LT CBA CHANGES The Canadian Bar Associa- tion — whose national office is in Ottawa — is in the process of reducing membership fees through 2020, as it restructures to allocate more of the member- ship fees away from the national headquarters and toward the lo- cal branches, according to outgo- ing president Kerry Simmons, whose last day in the role was Aug. 31. Although a budget for the CBA is not publicly available, the CBA's section leaders, manage- ment team and board of directors gathered in March to discuss how to "make the best use" of member- ship fees, according to Simmons, a partner at Cook Roberts LLP in Victoria, B.C. who focuses on estates, employment and professional regulation. Simmons says one of the biggest changes decided this year and being implemented next year is that the majority of funds — about 60 per cent — will now go to local branches and about 40 per cent will stay with the national organization. That's a reversal from the old budget, she says. "Most people interact with their branches. Their branches need to have the staff and the technology in order to provide sections or pro- vide professional development," Simmons says. The regular fare for the CBA has been reduced and will be further cut in the 2019-2020 year, because cost was a barrier for some mem- bers, Simmons says. In addition, the CBA's media arm, National magazine, will go forward as a digital platform. "That's how young lawyers engage — everything is on their phone," Simmons says. "'National' is going to continue to have stories and bring informa- tion to light and do it from a digital platform rather than print." YOUNG ADVOCATES' EVENT Justice Cynthia Petersen of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and Sandra Barton, a partner at Gowling WLG Canada LLP, will take part in a Fireside Chat this October presented by the Young Advo- cates' Standing Committee. The event will happen Oct. 4, at 2700-250 Yonge Street in Toron- to, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. More information is available at www. advocates.ca. MEDICO-LEGAL SOCIETY EVENT The Medico-Legal Society of Toronto will be holding an event Sept. 12 to discuss a number of cases of importance to its members. The event will be held at the Toronto Board of Trade from 6 p.m. onwards. More information is available at www.mlst.ca. The cost is $160 for members, $200 for non- members and $50 for students, plus HST. 50 % NO, I DO NOT AGREE YES, I AGREE 50 % LAW TIMES POLL Two lawyers filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tri- bunal of Ontario on behalf of parents that oppose the prov- ince's plan to change the sexual education curriculum in On- tario schools. Readers were asked if they agreed with this move. About 50 per cent said yes, they thought this was a good legal strategy to obtain a worth- while result. Another 50 per cent said they thought it was a poor legal strat- egy and it will not achieve the desired results. LT Genuine © 2017 Stewart. All rights reserved. See policies for full terms and conditions. At Stewart Title, we've worked hard to build a company where integrity is the keystone in all our dealings. With us what you see is what you get — comprehensive title insurance coverage, experienced underwriters and support for your practice. Learn more about our level of support, call (888) 667-5151 or visit stewart.ca. Untitled-3 1 2018-07-04 10:44 AM Kerry Simmons says the Canadian Bar Association is in the process of reducing membership fees.

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