Law Times

PAGE 16 Enabling Lawyers through Technology Tel: 416.322.6111 Toll-free: 1.866.367.7648 Real Estate • Corporate • Estates www doprocess com The Inside Story COMMUNITY ACTIVIST WINS OJEN AWARD A Toronto community activist whose work promoting justice education includes the creation of a program in shopping malls is this year's recipient of the On- tario Justice Education Net- work Chief Justices' Award. Rick Gosling started up the Law in the Mall program, which sees members of the public par- take in mock trials before check- ing out displays on the justice system and getting information on working in the industry. The program is now offered through- out the Greater Toronto Area. Gosling, also founder of a breakfast program for vulnerable children in the city, was credited for helping young offenders by connecting them with judges and lawyers, putting them in touch with positive role models. He also took the lead in creat- ing libraries at youth detention facilities. The Second Chance Schol- arship Award, also created by Gosling, is offered to youths going into post-secondary education after finishing their sentences. He also works with the OJEN and other members of the justice industry to promote involvement with the system. The Chief Justices' Award Ministry of the Attorney General, its Justice on Target strategy served as the jumping- off point for a recent agreement among provinces to strengthen the court system. The deal — recently established at a meeting in Quebec City — has the min- isters pledging to share informa- tion and techniques coming out of their own experiences on the administration of justice. Areas of dialogue may in- clude ways to reduce court ap- pearances, use of technology in the courts, and ways of disclos- ing evidence, among others, ac- cording to a ministry release. The Justice on Target strategy is the Ontario government's four- year cent the average number of days and court appearances needed to wrap up a criminal case. "Through Justice on Target, plan to reduce by 30 per NUCLEAR BALL LANDS TRIO IN HOT WATER BEIJING — Three men who claim they unwittingly brought a dangerous ball of depleted uranium into China have escaped criminal charges. The trio said they thought they September 15, 2008 • Law times Bizarre Briefs By Viola James were getting valuable scrap metal when they bought a 274-kilogram ball of the radioactive substance in Kyrgyzstan last year. They planned to sell it in Beijing, and one of them even strapped a sample to his body to keep from losing it or having it stolen, according to a Reuters report on the case. The men managed to get the ball past customs but ran out of luck when an expert realized the metal was depleted uranium, which is the part left over after the more radioactive parts of the substance are extracted, according to Reuters. Ontario has demonstrated its commitment to making our criminal justice system as effec- tive as possible," said Attorney General Chris Bentley. "Now we're sharing our expe- riences with other provinces to help make all of Canada's justice systems the best they can be." was created by the three chief justices of the province, and goes to an Ontarian "who has made exceptional contributions to promoting public understand- ing, education, and dialogue in support of a responsive and in- clusive justice system," accord- ing to an OJEN release. Gosling received the award at a special ceremony that was part of the annual Opening of the Courts festivities. ATTORNEYS GENERAL TARGET COURT DELAYS A strategy that started in Ontar- io has helped usher in a new era of co-operation among Canada's attorneys general, the govern- ment said. According to the Ontario STIKEMANS CELEBRATES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT After one year of hard work through a formalized communi- ty-involvement program, Stike- man Elliott LLP is taking a break to celebrate. Firm members participated in the program in major Ca- nadian cities, assisting over 60 organizations by donating their time and accumulating over $1 million for charities. "While Stikeman Elliott firm members have been actively en- gaged in charitable work for de- cades, formalizing the commu- nity-involvement program has encouraged and inspired many more to get involved," said firm chairman Pierre Raymond in a release. LT STG_05_LT_BaseBar 8/16/06 8:52 AM Page 1 For more Inside Story, please visit www.lawtimesnews.com "No kidding! My lawyer was Eddie Greenspan too!" At Stewart Title, it's how we work that sets us apart. We deal in title insurance and related products, undertaking no part of the transaction that has traditionally fallen to legal professionals. Since our inception into the Canadian market, you will find that we have consistently combined comprehensive coverage with unparalleled support for legal professionals. We are dedicated to streamlining your practice and increasing your revenue through our programs and innovative technology solutions. At Stewart Title, we know it's our relationship with our customers that determines our success. That's why service is the foundation of our business and integrity, the keystone in all our dealings. Contact us today at (888) 667-5151 or visit www.stewart.ca. www.lawtimesnews.com arrested the men, they've since said they believe the men's claims that they didn't realize what they were bringing into the country. So far, the men have shown no ill effects. While authorities quickly EVICTING THE POLYGAMOUS PREACHER LAGOS — Local officials want the preacher with 86 wives to leave town, but a Nigerian court says the senior can stay with his massive family until a judge rules on his fate. "Leave is hererby granted to the applicant to enforce his fundamental human right to personal liberty, life and to freedom of movement," state news agency NAN quoted Abuja High Court Judge G. Kolawole as saying. The Muslim preacher, 84- year-old Mohammed Bello, is challenging threats from local chiefs and religious leaders in the Nigerian town of Bida to force him to leave the community for drastically exceeding Sharia laws that limit the number of wives a man can have to four. The officials gave him until Sept. 7 to divorce 82 of his wives, but the court ruling means he can stay married to all of them while authorities consider his case. Bello has denied media reports that he agreed to comply with the law. Instead, his spokesman vowed Bello would marry more women. So far, his marriages have made him the father of roughly 170 children. BLAME CRAIG NEW YORK — A gunshot victim is firing off at craigslist. com, arguing in a lawsuit that the popular classified-ads web site should never have allowed the alleged shooter to buy a firearm. The victim, 50-year-old Calvin Gibson, wants $10 million from craigslist for what he claims is negligence in letting suspect Jesus Ortiz get a gun. "But for the defendant's negligence in failing to supervise and monitor the content of the ads placed on its internet service, [the shooter] could never have legally obtained the handgun," the New York Post quoted the lawsuit as alleging. Gibson suffered six bullets in New York on July 24. He alleges Ortiz admitted to police he got the gun on craigslist. The alleged perpetrator, who has a "psychiatric history and a history of violent crime," couldn't have gotten a permit to buy a gun legally, according to the Post's report on the lawsuit. MUST BE THE SHOES, JUDGE RULES ALBANY, N.Y. — A court has rejected claims from a woman that her 36-metre fall while wearing bald shoes was due to government negligence. On Oct. 14, 2004, Clarissa Marino was celebrating her 20th birthday in the Catskill Forest Preserve when she slipped and fell down the Kaaterskill Falls. In her lawsuit against the state, she argued authorities should have done more to warn people about the danger. But after hearing reports that Marino was wearing flat, rubber- soled shoes with no tread — as well as conflicting testimony that she may have been wearing a blindfold at some point — the judge threw out the case. Judge Frank P. Milano also ruled that the dangers in the preserve were "obvious to anyone employing the reasonable use of her senses," according to the Times Union. LT Confidential

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