Leo Russomanno
lrussomanno.bsky.social
Leo Russomanno
@lrussomanno.bsky.social
criminal lawyer at Russomanno Hyslop LLP, futbol and other obsessions too many to list here.
Re global tariff war, will the easy to understand game theory economists please stand up? I’d eat that up.
April 9, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Interested in how Charter interpretation will apply to consideration of provincial cannabis legislation which has been held to be regulatory in nature, with the effect of watering down s. 10b rights. These laws are regularly a gateway to broad search powers leading to criminal charges.
New Substack on the recent John Howard decision macdonnell.substack.com/p/securing-t...
March 19, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
New Substack on the recent John Howard decision macdonnell.substack.com/p/securing-t...
March 19, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
SCC majority concludes that the use of the balance of probabilities standard in prison disciplinary proceedings violates Charter ss 11(d) and 7 - presumption of innocence. Important decision for prison law with some stare decisis thrown in for good measure. decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-...
John Howard Society of Saskatchewan v. Saskatchewan (Attorney General) - SCC Cases
decisions.scc-csc.ca
March 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Great work by counsel Jolene Hansell. 🙂
R. v. P.J.C., 2025 ONCA 196 at para 37: Expert evidence on the neurobiology of trauma and its effects on memory is not 'necessary' if it only assists the trier of fact. The evidence must be required to appreciate the complainant's evidence.
coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca/coa/coa/en/i...
coadecisions.ontariocourts.ca
March 13, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
My preliminary thoughts on the Federal Court's decision in MacKinnon: lnkd.in/ehsVzfUv. The Chief Justice has opened the door to a limited form of judicial review of prorogation, but politics and convention will largely continue to govern the Prime Minister's advice on prorogation.
March 7, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
I think it says something about the US, though I'm not sure exactly what, that had the events of the past two weeks occurred in quite a few other nations their citizens would be pondering the possibility of a military coup.
March 2, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
New from me: this is what you get when politics is all about looking around for someone to punch. #cdnpoli www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/opi...
Opinion: What you get when politics becomes about picking fights
Constantly looking for a place to fight doesn’t leave much bandwidth for the serious work of government
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
January 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Thinking about all of the poor souls prosecuted for minor theft from grocery stores while the stores themselves were gouging customers.
January 11, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
After Justin Trudeau's announcement that 🇨🇦 Parliament would be prorogued until March 24, a judicial review application was filed challenging the prorogation.

VANESSA MACDONNELL (vanessamacdonnell.bsky.social) on what we know about the legal challenge so far.

verfassungsblog.de/canada-proro...
January 10, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
Parliament has now been prorogued. A few thoughts on the prorogation discussion involving @pauldalyesq.bsky.social, @plagasse.bsky.social, and @doubleaspect.blog on (1) the facts around the prorogation, (2) a possible legal challenge, and (3) the persuasiveness of the UK decision in Miller II. 1/n
January 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Please come home for Christmas by Bon Jovi, obviously. No question.
December 25, 2024 at 3:37 AM
Reposted by Leo Russomanno
So honoured to see In Her Defence: 50th Street named one of Amazon's best podcasts of the year. I’m so grateful to the Tuccaro family for trusting me with Amber’s story, and it means a lot to know it’s reaching people.
At this link or wherever you get podcasts: music.amazon.com/podcasts/4fe...
December 16, 2024 at 10:44 PM
Couldn’t agree more. He propagated ideas that seemed unthinkable at the time. The system needs disruptive thinkers that shake us all out of our complacency.
Heartbroken by the passing of dear friend and colleague Alan Young. Alan saw paths to justice before the rest of us and pursued them with vigour and wit. Remembering many laughs. A huge legacy. He gave so much to all of us who had the privilege of working with him.
www.thestar.com/news/ontario...
Alan Young, lawyer and scholar known for landmark legal challenges, dies at age 69
Young was a central figure in a landmark Supreme Court case that struck down Canada's prostitution laws as unconstitutional in 2013.
www.thestar.com
December 11, 2024 at 2:00 AM
I idolized this man. Courage, generosity, and intellectual honesty. Would have loved to have taken his class. Will be missed but hopefully his example never forgotten. RIP Prof. Young.
www.osgoode.yorku.ca/news/alan-yo...
Alan Young, Legal Trailblazer and Beloved Osgoode Professor, Passes Away at 69 | Osgoode Hall Law School - York University
Alan Young, Legal Trailblazer and Beloved Osgoode Professor, Passes Away at 69 - Discover the global and local impact Osgoode Hall Law School is having in the media and legal culture.
www.osgoode.yorku.ca
December 9, 2024 at 6:01 PM
agree completely with this. Serves a major screening function in Quebec, where prosecutors also approve charges as in BC.
Coming from BC this has never stopped being a very strange Ontario thing to me. The stats are pretty clear the BC way is better, time for change.
Ontario mulling having [crown] prosecutors approve criminal charges before #police lay them. Currently crown review happens after charges laid to determine reasonable prospect of conviction, public interest. #onpoli #criminallaw #justice www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
December 3, 2024 at 4:15 PM
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... super interesting deep dive. Why did the Liberals and Bloc vote down an effort by NDP and Conservatives to further investigate the spying scandal? Soccer Canada receives millions of taxpayer dollars every year.
Canada Soccer insiders say its culture problem runs deeper than drones
Spying was an ingrained part of the celebrated women’s national team rocked by scandal at the Paris Olympics – but there were many other problems, a Globe investigation finds
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 28, 2024 at 12:50 PM
Almost universally anyone with a family member caught up in the criminal justice system expresses shock and disgust at the inhumanity. The system is full of people who have grown insensitive, apathetic, or are simply burned out by fighting against it.
November 18, 2024 at 8:14 PM
People in custody in Quebec are shackled and handcuffed while sitting in a glass box accompanied by security. Even when they testify, they testify from within the glass box while cuffed/shackled. It's grotesque.
THREAD. One of the moments that changed my career was my first day as a public defender in D.C.'s juvenile court. When I walked into the courtroom, which is closed to the public, all the little children were fully shackled in metal chains on their wrists, waists, and feet.
November 18, 2024 at 8:10 PM
The best reporting on criminal justice comes from lawyers in the system. Don’t expect much from actual journalists beyond fear mongering and mindless recitation of talking points. The bail system is broken, just not in the way it’s being usually presented. www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/opinion...
The Conservative 'jail, not bail' slogan is driven by harmful political grift
Ontario's plan to change mandatory sentences and bail would damage public safety
www.canadianlawyermag.com
November 17, 2024 at 6:45 PM