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Case information

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40583

Season Lavallee v. His Majesty the King

(Manitoba) (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)
2023-07-25 Close file on Leave
2023-07-20 Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties
2023-07-20 Judgment on leave sent to the parties
2023-07-20 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 of Manitoba, Number AR21-30-09697, 2022 MBCA 79, dated September 21, 2022, is dismissed.
Dismissed
2023-07-20 Decision on motion to extend time to file and /or serve the leave application, See judgment on the application
Granted
2023-06-12 All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, for consideration by the Court
2023-06-12 Submission of motion to extend time to file and/ or serve the leave application, for consideration by the Court
2023-02-24 Certificate (on limitations to public access) His Majesty the King
2023-02-24 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Completed on: 2023-02-24, (Printed version filed on 2023-02-24) His Majesty the King
2023-02-01 Letter acknowledging receipt of a complete application for leave to appeal, FILE OPENED: 2023-02-01
2023-01-20 Certificate (on limitations to public access), (Letter Form), Certificate 23A, (Printed version due on 2023-01-27) Season Lavallee
2023-01-20 Motion to extend the time to file and or serve the application for leave to appeal, Completed on: 2023-01-20, (Printed version due on 2023-01-27) Season Lavallee
2023-01-20 Application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Completed on: 2023-01-23, (Printed version filed on 2023-01-23) Season Lavallee

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
Lavallee, Season Applicant Active

v.

Main parties - Respondents
Name Role Status
His Majesty the King Respondent Active

Counsel

Party: Lavallee, Season

Counsel
Names
Scott Newman
Omri Plotnik
Contact information
Newman & Company
175 Hargrave Street, Suite 213
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 3R8
Telephone: (204) 410-3080
FAX: (204) 410-3077
Email: scott@scottnewman.ca
Agent
Name
Thomas Slade
Contact information
Supreme Advocacy LLP
100 - 340 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R3
Telephone: (613) 695-8855 Ext: 102
FAX: (613) 695-8580
Email: tslade@supremeadvocacy.ca

Party: His Majesty the King

Counsel
Name
Deann Sahulka
Contact information
Attorney General of Manitoba
5th Floor – 405 Broadway
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 3L6
Telephone: (204) 918-0478
FAX: (204) 945-1260
Email: deann.sahulka@gov.mb.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) 788-3509
Email: lynne.watt@gowlingwlg.com

Summary

Keywords

Criminal Law — Offences — Criminal contempt of court — Whether Criminal contempt of court can be “purged” — What is the procedure to follow to determine whether criminal contempt of court is “purged” — What is the effect of “purging” criminal contempt of court? — Was criminal contempt of court “purged” in this case?

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.

Ms. Lavallee was served with a subpoena to give evidence at a trial, but she did not willingly attend. After she was arrested pursuant to a witness warrant, she testified at the trial. The trial judge cited her for criminal contempt of court and ordered her to appear at a show-cause hearing. Ms. Lavallee pleaded guilty to criminal contempt but argued that she had “purged” her contempt and that no punishment should be imposed. The trial judge sentenced her to 10 months in jail, less time served. The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from the conviction, but it allowed an appeal from the sentence and substituted a sentence of 5 months in jail.

Lower court rulings

October 21, 2021
Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba

CR19-01-37559

Applicant is sentenced to 10 months in jail (less time served) for common law criminal contempt.

September 21, 2022
Court of Appeal of Manitoba

2022 MBCA 79, AR21-30-09697

Appeal from conviction 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: 2025-04-04