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 pay,” and why selling capital assets to fund an opulent lifestyle isn’t the same as earning income. The applicant’s luxury‑level budget meets judicial scrutiny, while the respondent’s push to impute escort income and point to family wealth hits legal limits. The end result—$4,000/month plus a retroactive lump—shows how judges balance short marriages, realistic needs, and the difference between lifestyle and income.

Then the plot thickens. A same‑day, ex parte protection order leads to disputed removals from the home and a tussle over Frankie. We unpack how BC’s Family Law Act treats companion animals: not as handbags, but through factors like who provided care, safety concerns, and well‑being. On an interim basis, Frankie stays put—illustrating how courts separate urgent stability from final outcomes and insist on full candour when seeking protective relief.

The second half pivots to evidence law and a rare rebuke: the province sought a lifetime ban on a man from a welfare office, relying on an internal incident report as a “business record.” Both the trial court and the Court of Appeal said no. We explain why “ordinary course of business” demands reliability—think automated receipts and bank statements—not a narrative drafted post‑incident for litigation. Even beyond admissibility, the appellate court flags proportionality: a permanent injunction is an extraordinary remedy, not a default response.

If you care about how courts actually draw the line between income and spending, how interim orders stabilize without deciding the future, how pet custody really works, and when business records are admissible, this conversation is your blueprint. Listen, share with a friend who loves law done plainly, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

Follow this link for a transcript of the show and links to the cases discussed.

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 police."

The case centers on Loomis Courier employees who, at police direction, set aside suspicious packages for warrantless seizure during a drug investigation. Unlike previous cases involving independent security guards or school administrators, these employees were acting on specific police instructions. The Court established that the key test is whether individuals would have conducted themselves the same way "but for" police involvement—a crucial distinction that determines whether evidence can be excluded from criminal trials.

Privacy rights received further examination in a separate ruling that overturned a class action against the doctor rating website RateMDs.com. The Court determined that publicly available professional information—like a doctor's office address or phone number—doesn't carry a reasonable expectation of privacy protected under BC's Privacy Act. This distinction between truly private information and professional details available through other sources highlights the contextual nature of privacy protections in the digital age.

The Court also addressed the tension between professional standards and constitutional freedoms in a case involving a lawyer disciplined for sharing inappropriate "locker room talk" about a judge with a client. While not condoning the behavior, the ruling emphasized that regulatory bodies must balance conduct requirements against fundamental rights like freedom of expression—even when regulating professionals whose speech carries special responsibilities.

These rulings collectively illustrate how courts navigate the complex intersection of individual rights, professional obligations, and state authority. They remind us that understanding these boundaries is essential in a world where the line between private and public actions continues to blur. What private actions in your life might unexpectedly cross into constitutional territory?

Follow this link for a transcript of the show and links to the cases discussed.

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 defending themselves and their property?

Barrister Michael Mulligan unpacks the controversial legal landscape of self-defense in Canada, explaining how the 2012 amendments to the Criminal Code created a complex "reasonableness" requirement for those protecting themselves or others. This means that even when facing deadly threats in your own home, the law expects you to consider factors like the relative size, age, and gender of your attacker before responding. As Mulligan notes, "When you're fighting for your life or to save your children, you don't need to worry about weighing up how old this person is and what their gender is."

The discussion extends beyond criminal liability to civil lawsuits, highlighting a case where a self-described "career criminal" is suing grocery store employees who prevented him from stealing a car, claiming they damaged his self-esteem. This mirrors Alberta's experience, where a rancher faced legal action from a thief after firing a warning shot. The provincial response—legislation preventing "criminal trespassers" from suing unless force was "grossly disproportionate"—offers a potential model for other provinces.

The episode also examines a revealing case about Uber's wheelchair accessibility requirements in BC. Instead of mandating accessible vehicles, the government collects a 90-cent fee per non-accessible trip—money that disappears into general revenue while wheelchair users remain unable to use the service. When one wheelchair user won a $35,000 human rights award, the BC Supreme Court overturned it, revealing the tension between regulation and actual solutions.

These cases raise fundamental questions about our legal priorities: Should we better protect those defending themselves and their property? And when regulations like Uber's accessibility fee don't solve the actual problem, what's their real purpose? Listen for an eye-opening look at where our laws might be failing those they're meant to protect.

Follow this link for a transcript of the show and links to the cases discussed.