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Case information

Consult our database for details on a Supreme Court of Canada case.


39194

Orren Brooks Johnson v. Her Majesty the Queen

(Saskatchewan) (Criminal) (By Leave)

Docket

Judgments on applications for leave to appeal are rendered by the Court, but are not necessarily unanimous.

List of proceedings
Date Proceeding Filed By
(if applicable)
2024-01-26 Close file on Leave
2020-11-20 Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties
2020-11-20 Judgment on leave sent to the parties
2020-11-19 Judgment of the Court on the application for leave to appeal, The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the application for leave to appeal is granted. The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan, Number CACR2940, 2019 SKCA 138, dated December 18, 2019, is dismissed.
Dismissed
2020-11-19 Decision on motion to extend time to file and /or serve the leave application, See decision on application
Granted
2020-10-19 All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, for consideration by the Court
2020-10-19 Submission of motion to extend time to file and/ or serve the leave application, for consideration by the Court
2020-09-08 Applicant's reply to respondent's argument, (Letter Form), required: cover page to accompany reply (rec'd 2020/09/09), Completed on: 2020-09-09 Orren Brooks Johnson
2020-08-26 Certificate (on limitations to public access), (Letter Form) Her Majesty the Queen
2020-08-26 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Completed on: 2020-08-26 Her Majesty the Queen
2020-06-04 Letter acknowledging receipt of an incomplete application for leave to appeal, FILE OPENED 2020/06/04
2020-05-26 Certificate (on limitations to public access), (Letter Form), required: proof of service (rec'd 2020/06/04) Orren Brooks Johnson
2020-05-26 Motion to extend the time to file and or serve the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), required: proof of service (rec'd 2020/06/04), Completed on: 2020-06-04 Orren Brooks Johnson
2020-05-26 Application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), required:
-trial court judgment/order (rec'd TC conviction 2020/06/11)
-CA Order (rec'd 2020/06/04)
-proof of service to Respondent (rec'd 2020/06/04)
-confirmation that service was provided to counsel for the other party heard at same time at CA level, in a different docket (rec'd 2020/06/04)
-amended Notice and amended Application citing correct section of law (rec'd 2020/06/15), Completed on: 2020-06-15
Orren Brooks Johnson

Parties

Please note that in the case of closed files, the “Status” column reflects the status of the parties at the time of the proceedings. For more information about the proceedings and about the dates when the file was open, please consult the docket of the case in question.

Main parties

Main parties - Appellants
Name Role Status
Johnson, Orren Brooks Applicant Active

v.

Main parties - Respondents
Name Role Status
Her Majesty the Queen Respondent Active

Counsel

Party: Johnson, Orren Brooks

Counsel
Name
Peter Sankoff
Contact information
Bottos Law Group
10226 104 St.
4th floor
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 1B8
Telephone: (780) 421-7001
FAX: (780) 421-7031
Email: psankoff@bottoslaw.ca

Party: Her Majesty the Queen

Counsel
Name
W. Dean Sinclair, Q.C.
Contact information
Attorney General for Saskatchewan
300-1874 Scarth Street
3rd Floor
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 4B3
Telephone: (306) 787-5490
FAX: (306) 787-8878
Email: dean.sinclair@gov.sk.ca
Agent
Name
D. Lynne Watt
Contact information
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
160 Elgin Street
Suite 2600
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1C3
Telephone: (613) 786-8695
FAX: (613) 563-9869
Email: lynne.watt@gowlingwlg.com

Summary

Keywords

Criminal law — Appeal — Unreasonable verdict — Inconsistent verdicts — Co-accused — Whether the Court of Appeal of Saskatchewan’s approach to inconsistent verdicts in cases of co-accused persons undermines the essential protections required by this Court in R. v. Pittiman, 2006 SCC 9.

Summary

Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch). Please note that summaries are not provided to the Judges of the Court. They are placed on the Court file and website for information purposes only.

The applicant, Mr. Johnson, and a co-accused were charged with first degree murder. The victim was found shot in a bedroom at a home located in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. At trial before judge and jury, the applicant was convicted of first degree murder and his co-accused of second degree murder. Both the applicant and his co-accused appealed their convictions, but for different reasons. The applicant argued that his conviction was unreasonable as it was irreconcilable with his co-accused’s verdict of second degree murder. The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan unanimously dismissed the applicant’s appeal.

Lower court rulings

March 22, 2017
Court of Queen’s Bench of Saskatchewan

4000822 CR 41/15

Conviction by jury of first degree murder

December 18, 2019
Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan

2019 SKCA 138 ;, CACR2940 ;

Appeal dismissed

Filed documents

The memorandums of argument on an application for leave to appeal will be posted here 30 days after leave to appeal has been granted unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of the memorandum by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613-996-8666 or at 1-844-365-9662.

If you have questions about a memorandum of argument or want to use a memorandum of argument, please contact the author of the memorandum of argument directly. Their name appears at the end of the memorandum of argument. The contact information for counsel is found in the “Counsel” tab of this page.

Downloadable PDFs

Not available

The factums of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here at least 2 weeks before the hearing unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of factums by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613-996-8666 or at 1-844-365-9662.

If you have questions about a factum or want permission to use a factum, please contact the author of the factum directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each factum.

Downloadable PDFs

Not available

The condensed books of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here upon receipt of the electronic version, 2 days prior to the scheduled appeal hearing. You may also obtain copies of condensed books by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613-996-8666 or at 1-844-365-9662.

If you have questions about a condensed book or want permission to use a condensed book, please contact the author of the condensed book directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each condensed book.

Downloadable PDFs

Not available

Webcasts

Not available.

Date modified: 2026-06-25