Vicky M. Ringuette

The appellant mother appealed a summary judgment order making her child a Crown ward without access.

She sought to introduce fresh evidence, arguing her former counsel provided ineffective representation by failing to request disclosure and an adjournment.

The Divisional Court admitted the fresh evidence but dismissed the appeal, finding the new evidence would not have changed the outcome given the mother's history of substance abuse and non-compliance.

The court also rejected arguments that the motion judge erred in his treatment of sibling access and the denial of access to the mother, finding no errors in the consideration of the child's best interests and need for permanency.

The appellant mother appealed a summary judgment order making her child a Crown ward without access.

She argued that her former counsel provided ineffective representation by failing to request disclosure and an adjournment, and that the motion judge erred in his treatment of access, including sibling access.

The Divisional Court admitted fresh evidence but dismissed the appeal, finding that the fresh evidence would not have changed the outcome of the summary judgment motion and that the motion judge made no errors in his access determination.