Mona Veronika Anis

A solicitor for the maternal grandmother brought a motion to be removed from the record shortly before a 15-20 day Crown wardship trial.

The maternal grandmother consented, but the Children's Aid Society opposed, citing concerns about potential trial adjournments and further delay in the child's life resolution if the grandmother became self-represented.

The court dismissed the motion, prioritizing the child's best interests and the timely progression of the trial, noting the common issue of self-represented parties seeking last-minute adjournments.

During a child protection trial involving allegations of sexual abuse, the parents moved for a mistrial after the presiding judge raised concerns that the Society's counsel had inadvertently undermined the credibility of the key witness, a vulnerable 17-year-old complainant, during examination-in-chief.

The judge granted the mistrial, finding that it was impossible to rule out that the witness's subsequent testimony was affected and that a reasonable apprehension of bias would arise if the trial continued, thereby compromising fairness to the parties and the integrity of the court process.