The appellant newspaper challenged Alberta legislation restricting publication of details from matrimonial proceedings and pre-trial civil materials.
The Supreme Court of Canada held, by majority, that s. 30(1) and (2) infringed freedom of expression and were not justified under s. 1 because the restrictions were overly broad and insufficiently tailored to privacy and fair trial objectives.
The court emphasized the constitutional importance of the open court principle and the press's role in informing the public about judicial proceedings.
The majority did not find it necessary to decide the s. 15 issue.
