Summaries Sunday: Supreme One-Liners

As a supplement to our Sunday Summary each month, Supreme Advocacy LLP in Ottawa presents Supreme One-Liners, a super-short descriptive guide to the most recent decisions at the Supreme Court of Canada. Supreme Advocacy LLP offers its more comprehensive weekly electronic newsletter, Supreme Advocacy Letter, summarizing all Appeals, Oral Judgments and Leaves to Appeal granted.

Appeal Judgments

Criminal Law: Included Offences; Air of Reality Test
R. v. Pan, 2025 SCC 12 (40839)

Clarification of air of reality test in included offences context.

Oral Judgments

Criminal Law: Sexual Assault
R. v. R.A., 2025 SCC 7 (41421) Judgment rendered March 20, 2025.

Elements of sexual assault under s. 271; element of force.

Criminal Law: Sexual Assault
R. v. P.B., 2025 SCC 8 (41422) Judgment rendered March 21, 2025.

Appeal dismissed re sufficiency of reasons, evidence assessment.

Criminal Law: Evidence Admission

R. v. Chizanga, 2025 SCC 9 (41405),(41370) Judgment rendered March 24, 2025.
Appeal dismissed re admission of evidence. 

Criminal Law: Firearms
R. v. Donawa, 2025 SCC 10 (41287) Judgment rendered March 26, 2025.

Handgun as found by police meets Criminal Code definition of firearm.

Criminal Law: Sexual Assault; Honest but Mistaken Belief
R. v. Kwon, 2025 SCC 11 (41322) Judgment rendered March 27, 2025.

New trial in honest but mistaken belief context.