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Case information

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40635

His Majesty the King v. Preston Ratt

(Saskatchewan) (Criminal) (By Leave)

(Publication ban in case)

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)
2023-09-21 Close file on Leave
2023-08-31 Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties
2023-08-31 Judgment on leave sent to the parties
2023-08-31 Judgment of the Court on the application for leave to appeal, The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the response to 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 CACR3472, 2023 SKCA 2, dated January 5, 2023, is dismissed.
Dismissed
2023-08-31 Decision on motion to extend time, See decision on application
Granted
2023-07-17 All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, for consideration by the Court
2023-07-17 Submission of motion to extend time, for consideration by the Court
2023-05-16 Response to motion to extend time, (Letter Form), Completed on: 2023-05-17 His Majesty the King
2023-05-16 Certificate (on limitations to public access), 23B Preston Ratt
2023-05-16 Certificate (on limitations to public access), 23A Preston Ratt
2023-05-16 Motion to extend time, (Book Form), Completed on: 2023-05-17, (Printed version due on 2023-05-24) Preston Ratt
2023-05-16 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), REQUIRED:
- Motion to extend time (rec'd 2023-05-16), Completed on: 2023-05-17, (Printed version filed on 2023-05-16)
Preston Ratt
2023-03-08 Letter acknowledging receipt of an incomplete application for leave to appeal, FILE OPENED 2023-03-08
2023-03-06 Certificate (on limitations to public access), 23A / 23B His Majesty the King
2023-03-06 Application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Required:
- filing fee, Completed on: 2023-05-16, (Printed version due on 2023-03-13)
His Majesty the King

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
His Majesty the King Applicant Active

v.

Main parties - Respondents
Name Role Status
Ratt, Preston Respondent Active

Counsel

Party: His Majesty the King

Counsel
Name
Pouria Tabrizi-Reardigan
Contact information
Attorney General for Saskatchewan
Ministry of Justice and Attorney General
300 - 1874 Scarth St.
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 4B3
Telephone: (306) 787-5490
FAX: (306) 787-8878
Email: pouria.tabrizireardigan@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

Party: Ratt, Preston

Counsel
Name
Susan Ryan
Contact information
Legal Aid Saskatchewan
2325 - 1328 La Ronge Avenue
Box 232
La Ronge, Saskatchewan
S0J 1L0
Telephone: (306) 425-4455
FAX: (306) 425-4472
Email: sryan@legalaid.sk.ca
Agent
Name
Moira Dillon
Contact information
Supreme Law Group
1800 - 275 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5H9
Telephone: (613) 691-1224
FAX: (613) 691-1338
Email: mdillon@supremelawgroup.ca

Summary

Keywords

Criminal law — Offences — Elements of offence — Discharging firearm — Meaning of into or at a place — Whether a person can be found guilty of the offence under s. 244.2(1)(a) of Criminal Code by discharging a firearm at or into a place while standing in the same place as other people — Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, s. 244.2(1)(a)

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.

(Publication ban in case)

Mr. Ratt was in a one-story house, in a living room with other people present, when he twice discharged a shotgun towards the ceiling and attic. He was charged with intentionally discharging a firearm being reckless as to whether another person was present in that place, multiple firearms offences and, based on other conduct, unlawfully confining a complainant. He was acquitted on the charge of intentional discharge of a firearm and convicted on all other counts. The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from the acquittal.

Lower court rulings

June 28, 2021
Provincial Court of Saskatchewan

90419351

Acquittal on count of intentionally discharging a firearm being reckless as to whether another person was present in that place; Convictions for other offences

January 5, 2023
Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan

2023 SKCA 2, CACR3472

Appeal from acquittal 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