Legally Speaking with Michael Mulligan
Legal news and issues with lawyer Michael Mulligan on CFAX 1070 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Episodes
285 episodes
When Free Expression Ends And Misconduct Begins At A Canadian University
Courtrooms, campus corridors, mountain slopes, and border tarmacs: we connect them through three rulings that change how you navigate rights, rules, and risk. We start with a Vancouver Island University protest case where banners, ladders, and ...
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21:43
How Canada’s New Justice Bill Could Reshape Courts, Sentencing, And Digital Harms
A 76-page justice overhaul just landed, and we’re diving into what actually changes for victims, accused persons, and the people who keep our courts running. We break down how Bill C-16 reframes parts of criminal law—naming femicide as a route ...
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21:39
How To Lose A Job In 10 Words Or Less
A single sentence can change a career. We open with a real-world case: a shuttle driver on SFU property tells a flagger she’s “unbelievably beautiful” and suggests modelling. Security documents the exchange, the university issues a campus ban, ...
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20:58
Wills, Words, And What Counts
A signed page beside a will. A daughter who gave up her life to care for her parents. A court is asked to decide whether a single sheet of paper can rewrite an estate. We dig into a recent BC Supreme Court ruling to unpack how WESA’s formal req...
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21:54
When A Guest Won’t Leave
A single sentence in the Criminal Code can decide whether you can legally remove someone from your home—or whether you’re suddenly the one at risk of an assault charge. We break down a fresh BC Supreme Court ruling that reads purpose into Parli...
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22:02
How A Judge’s Questions Crossed The Line And Triggered A New Trial
Ever wondered when a judge’s questions stop clarifying and start tilting the scales? We dive into a BC sexual assault case where the trial judge’s heavy-handed interventions—pages of pointed questioning, steering how evidence was led, and relyi...
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21:10
When Your Outfit Is “Red To Hide Blood,” You’ve Made Bad Choices
A 20-year online feud that began on a community website ended with a meticulously planned attack inside a BC courtroom—red clothes to hide blood, a packed suitcase, a knife and a hammer, and alcohol for courage. We walk through how the trial ju...
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21:48
Bail Myths, Real Fixes
Think “bail reform” will clean up street disorder? We take a hard look at what Bill C‑14 really changes and why it targets the wrong problem. From the presumption of innocence to the right to remain silent, we trace how symbolic tweaks and reve...
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21:59
When Indigenous Identity Emerges After Sentencing
A guilty plea, a forgotten past, and a courtroom test of how identity meets justice. We open with a 2011 assault case resolved by a joint submission: an 18‑month conditional sentence after the accused conceded his force exceeded self‑defence. Y...
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21:55
From Picton’s Farm to the Coroner
A notorious criminal case and a sweeping policy change collide in one packed hour, and the throughline is unmistakable: how law balances dignity, proof, and practical consequences. We start by unpacking the latest development in the Robert Pict...
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21:14
Sugar, Support, and Frankie
A seven‑month marriage sparked on a sugar‑arrangement site, a $12,000/month support bid, and a dog named Frankie—this one has layers. We open with a candid walk‑through of interim spousal support: what it’s for, how courts weigh “capacity to pa...
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22:01
When Does Someone Become an Agent of the State?
Where do your constitutional protections begin and end? The dividing line between private actions and state authority forms the heart of a fascinating BC Court of Appeal decision that clarifies when ordinary citizens become "agents of the polic...
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21:19
Self-Defense Rights in Your Home
What happens when the line between victim and perpetrator blurs in the eyes of the law? When a homeowner confronts a crossbow-wielding intruder or store employees stop a car theft, should they face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for defendi...
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20:35
Secret Decisions and AI Submissions: Civil Resolution Tribunal Challenges
What happens when a legal system designed for small claims is used to tackle complex issues involving international companies and constitutional requirements? Barrister and Solicitor Michael Mulligan takes us inside a fascinating recent case th...
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21:17
Replaced by Mr. Bean in an Office Without AC? That's Constructive Dismissal
Fentanyl trafficking sentences in BC just got a major overhaul. The BC Court of Appeal has mapped out clearer sentencing guidelines, creating a three-tier system that reflects the devastating impact of the deadly opioid crisis. Street-level dea...
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21:35
Tragic Intersection: The Thin Line Between Mistake and Crime
When does a driving mistake become a crime? The latest Court of Appeal ruling tackles this haunting question through the case of a driver who missed a red light, causing a collision that killed an 18-month-old child and seriously injured the fa...
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19:35
Indigenous Title vs. Private Property: The Cowichan Tribes Decision Explained
The foundation of property ownership in British Columbia faces a potential earthquake with the landmark Cowichan Tribes decision. After what may be Canada's longest trial—spanning over 500 days—the judge delivered an 800-page ruling that could ...
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16:52
Habeas Corpus, Cocaine Smuggling, and the End of Mink Farming
A fascinating exploration of justice, liberty, and the limits of government power unfolds through three recent BC legal cases. When a minimum-security prisoner at William Head was caught embracing a senior correctional officer, the warden's dec...
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20:59
Flight Compensation and Your Car Knows Too Much
Frustrated by an airline refusing compensation for your delayed flight? You might have more power than you think. Legal expert Michael Mulligan walks us through a fascinating Civil Resolution Tribunal case where passengers successfully challeng...
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21:38
The Hockey Canada Trial Verdict and ICBC No Fault Formula = $0
What happens when legal formulas, charge approval standards, and competing legitimate needs collide with real human lives? Today's deep dive examines three significant cases that reveal the profound human impact of our justice systems.T...
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20:40
Judge Alone Murder and Partial Expropriation Compensation
The boundaries of judicial authority in Canada have been redrawn by a groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling that empowers judges to conduct murder trials without juries—even when prosecutors object. This remarkable case emerged from the early pan...
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22:23
Document Dumps and Fluffing Cushions
Ever wondered what happens when one party drops 4 million documents on their opponent in a lawsuit? Michael Mulligan explains the fascinating legal concept of an "impermissible document dump" through the lens of a billion-dollar dispute over th...
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21:43
Legal Loopholes: The Million-Dollar Bitcoin Heist
What happens when a sophisticated scammer steals over half a million dollars in Bitcoin through a phone company's security failure? And more importantly, can you even take them to court?The answer is more complicated than you might thin...
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20:15
When Nine-Year-Old Charleigh's Life Hangs on a Ministerial Decision
What happens when a child's life depends on a medication that costs nearly a million dollars per year? In this eye-opening conversation with Michael Mulligan of Mulligan Defence Lawyers, we take a deep dive into the tragic case of nine-year-old...
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21:52
Bible, Chicken, or Dog? The Bizarre World of Courtroom Oaths
The legal landscape in Canada continues to evolve with significant implications for sexual assault cases, courtroom procedures, and sentencing guidelines.A groundbreaking Supreme Court of Canada decision has overturned a British Columbi...
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22:06