Supreme Court Makes Justice More Accessible, Affordable

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Canada released two landmark decisions that make it easier to obtain summary judgments in Ontario, and will impact thousands of summary judgment motions across the country.

In its decision, which has implications for businesses of all sizes as well as individuals when they become involved in a dispute, the court gave judges much more discretion in issuing summary judgments, saying "undue process and protracted trials, with unnecessary expense and delay, can prevent the fair and just resolution of disputes." (Note: Emphasis is in the decision.)

The court went on to note that "... ordinary Canadians cannot afford to access the adjudication of civil disputes."