Not On Record Podcast

Not On Record | EP#228 | When Judges Apply Two Standards: The Appeal Court Response Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In Episode 228 of *Not On Record*, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine **R. v. Hornsby, 2026 ONCA 604**, a significant Ontario Court of Appeal decision dealing with credibility assessment and “uneven scrutiny” in a criminal trial. The Court of Appeal quashed convictions on all counts and ordered new trials after finding that the trial judge applied different standards when assessing the accused and complainant’s eviden...

EP#227 | Judge Cross-Examines Accused, Conviction Overturned Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord Can a trial judge cross-examine an accused? A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision raises that question in dramatic fashion. In Episode 227 of Not On Record, Joseph Neuberger, Michael Bury and Noriana discuss a 2026 Ontario Court of Appeal decision in which a sexual assault conviction was overturned because the trial judge’s conduct created a reasonable apprehension of bias. The judge questioned the accused extensively after the Crown had already co...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord The discussion looks at the unusual legal position now facing the defence, including a motion asking the judge to enter an acquittal following the hung jury. We examine how reasonable doubt works, why a jury cannot simply substitute its personal morality for the law, and the important differences between the Massachusetts approach and Canada’s law on not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder. Joseph also draws on his 19 years sitting on the Ontario Review Bo...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** In Episode 225 of Not On Record, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and Michael Bury examine a little-discussed legal issue that could have major consequences in sexual assault trials. Can Crown counsel cross-examine an accused on what was omitted from a section 276 affidavit, effectively turning defence strategy into evidence? Joined by articling student Noriana, they explore solicitor-client privilege, the purpose of section 276 applications, key Supreme Court of Canada decisions including R. v. Darrach, R. v. Goldfinch, and...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** Can a person be convicted of sexual assault without any sexual intent? In Episode 224 of *Not On Record*, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine the Alberta Court of Appeal’s decision in **R. v. Roan, 2026 ABCA 260**, exploring how Canadian law defines sexual assault through the protection of a person’s sexual integrity rather than sexual motive. They also discuss the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in **R. v. SSD, 2026 ONCA 579**, and its applic...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord Ontario has introduced sweeping new bail regulations requiring cash deposits before many accused persons can be released, even after a justice has granted bail. Criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger explains what has changed, why many lawyers believe the new rules create a two-tier justice system, and why the Criminal Lawyers’ Association and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association are challenging the legislation. Topics include: • Ontario’s new cash bail requirements • Sureties and how bail works • Charter rights and the pr...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord How far can consent go? In this episode of Not On Record, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison return to an issue they have discussed several times: the complicated intersection of BDSM, sexual consent and Canadian criminal law. For people involved in BDSM and alternative sexual communities, consent can be highly structured. Partners may negotiate boundaries in advance, use safe words or colour systems, communicate exactly what acts they are comfortable with, and even put their agreements...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In Episode 222 of Not On Record, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine a question that clients ask repeatedly: “Why am I being charged when the police never investigated my side of the story?” The discussion focuses on the distinction between taking a complainant’s statement and conducting a full, objective investigation. Joseph and Diana walk through a real case in which the accused provided police with detailed information about the events, including potential witnesses, receipts, locations, CCTV f...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord A landmark acquittal may reshape how Canadian courts view domestic abuse. Joseph Neuberger and Michael Bury break down a historic sexual assault trial involving allegations made during a high conflict divorce, where expert evidence established that the accused was an abused husband suffering from trauma caused by coercive control. The discussion explores how this evidence was admitted, why it mattered, how it influenced cross-examination, and why the judge ultimately rejected the complainant’s credibility. They also ex...

In this Not On Record REWIND, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison revisit two extraordinary acquittals that highlight the importance of credibility, reliability, and the presumption of innocence in Canadian criminal courts. The discussion examines a high-conflict family law dispute involving allegations of parental alienation, implanted memories, and nine criminal charges that resulted in complete acquittals. They also analyze a separate sexual assault case where the trial judge went beyond reasonable doubt and expressly rejected the complainant’s testimony while accepting the accused’s evidence. The episode explores why criminal trials exist to determine guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, not to vind...

In this Not On Record Rewind episode, Joseph Neuberger, Michael Bury and Diana Davison explore the growing intersection between family law and criminal law, and why defence lawyers must pay close attention to both. The discussion begins with a recent sexual assault trial arising from a high-conflict divorce and expands into a broader examination of how family court proceedings can influence criminal cases. Joseph and Diana analyze the Ontario decision in *Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia*, which recognized a new tort of family violence and opened the door to significant damage awards within family law proceedings. The conversation examines how family court...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** In Episode 220 of Not On Record, criminal defence lawyers Michael Bury and Nick discuss Canada’s new Bail and Sentencing Reform Act (Bill C-14), a sweeping piece of legislation introducing more than 80 changes to Canada’s bail and sentencing laws. The discussion examines the government’s stated goal of addressing public concerns over repeat offenders, violent crime, auto theft, home invasions, human trafficking, and organized criminal activity. Michael and Nick break down the most significant reforms, includ...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** A domestic assault trial. Twelve charges. A mixed verdict. Then an appeal that changed everything. In this episode of *Not On Record*, criminal lawyers Michael Bury and Nick discuss a remarkable appeal victory involving a highly contested domestic assault prosecution. After a nine-day judge-alone trial, the accused was acquitted of most charges but convicted on three counts. The defence believed serious errors had been made in the trial judge’s credibility analysis and took the case to...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** The Supreme Court of Canada has finally stepped in to correct a legal misunderstanding that has influenced credibility assessments in criminal trials for nearly two decades. In **R. v. Berg, 2026 SCC 21**, the Court dismissed the accused’s appeal but used the opportunity to deliver important guidance on the proper application of reasonable doubt, credibility findings, and the landmark **W.(D.)** framework. Criminal defence lawyers **Joseph Neuberger** and **Diana Davison** examine how the Ontario Court of Appeal’s 20...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** In this episode of *Not on Record*, Joseph and Diana break down a mind-boggling case involving "global charges" of sexual assault spanning a 23-year relationship. When an accuser alleges hundreds of identical assaults but their real-life actions—from planning a family to praising their partner—completely contradict their stated state of mind, how should the court react? We dive deep into the dangerous intersection of family law disputes and criminal charges, exploring where the legal principle agai...

EP#216 | What If They Lied About Their Age? by Possibly Correct Media

**Sponsored by EasyDNS* Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** In Episode 215 of *Not On Record*, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine a troubling trial issue: what happens when a complainant appears to tailor their testimony after reading the defence affidavit in a pre-trial application? The discussion focuses on Section 276 and 278 applications, reverse disclosure concerns, R v JJ, credibility, reliability, and whether cross-examination is enough to protect trial fairness when key details appear for the first time in examination-in-chief. This episode explores the growing tension between...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** In Episode 214 of *Not On Record*, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine the important Ontario Court of Appeal decision R. v. C.P., 2026 ONCA 333 and discuss how mental illness can properly factor into assessing witness reliability and credibility in criminal trials. The case involved allegations of sexual assault against a biological father and raised complex questions about a complainant who had a documented history of hallucinations, delusions, medication non-compliance, and street drug use...

Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison break down the Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16, which recognizes a new tort of intimate partner violence. They examine how coercive control, family law, tort law, and criminal law now intersect, why the dissent warns the ruling may create confusion for courts and litigants, and how this decision could affect future claims involving domestic abuse, financial control, psychological harm, family court litigation, and proposed Criminal Code changes.

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord Episode 211 of Not On Record goes behind the scenes at a criminal defence firm to explore why preparation, human judgment, social media investigation, and old-school legal craftsmanship still matter in modern criminal defence. Joseph Neuberger, Diana Davison, and Amy discuss how digital evidence, complainant social media posts, withdrawn charges, online reputational damage, and careful statement analysis can dramatically affect sexual assault and domestic allegation cases. From removing outdated police and media posts after charges are withdrawn...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord Episode 211 of Not On Record goes behind the scenes at a criminal defence firm to explore why preparation, human judgment, social media investigation, and old-school legal craftsmanship still matter in modern criminal defence. Joseph Neuberger, Diana Davison, and Amy discuss how digital evidence, complainant social media posts, withdrawn charges, online reputational damage, and careful statement analysis can dramatically affect sexual assault and domestic allegation cases. From removing outdated police and media posts after charges are withdrawn...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In Episode 210 of Not On Record, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison break down R. v. J.H.C., 2026 ONCA 285, a Court of Appeal decision dealing with communicated consent, non-verbal consent, Crown appeals, adverse inferences, and what happens when a key witness is not called at trial. The discussion explores why consent in Canadian sexual assault law does not require verbal permission at every step, how judges assess credibility under the W.D. framework, and why gaps...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecor In this episode of Not On Record, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine how the criminal justice system can be weaponized through false allegations, court motions, peace bonds, and complainant-driven litigation tactics. Using a current defence case involving historical allegations, alleged stalking behaviour, relationship breakdown, criminal harassment dynamics, voyeurism, sexual assault charges, and courtroom strategy, they explore how legal proceedings can become a tool of coercion, control, and harassment. This episode is essential viewing for lawyers...

Not On Record REWIND | Can a Judge Truly Be Impartial? Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In this Not On Record REWIND, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison dig into a fascinating Canadian court decision asking a deceptively simple question: can a judge ever truly be impartial? Using R. v. Fraser, 2023 NSSC 45, they examine a Crown appeal of an acquittal based on alleged judicial bias, reasonable apprehension of bias, judicial impartiality, recusal motions, and public confidence in the justice system...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In this episode of Not On Record, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison break down a fascinating Ontario appeal decision involving fresh evidence, recantation, no-contact orders, and the limits of the criminal justice system’s truth-seeking function. The case centers on a convicted man seeking to introduce post-conviction recordings in which the complainant allegedly recants her sexual assault allegations, only to later resile from that recantation when re-interviewed by police. The Ontario Court of Ap...

**Sponsored by EasyDNS** Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: **notonrecord** ## In Episode 207 of Not On Record, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and co-host Diana Davison break down a deeply troubling case involving 11th-hour disclosure, selective screenshot evidence, WhatsApp messages, false allegations, and serious concerns about how digital evidence is collected in sexual assault investigations. This episode examines how late disclosure at trial can radically change the direction of a case, especially when a complainant provides edited or incomplete message threads that appear to support one narrative...

Sponsored by EasyDNS Move your domain or web hosting to EasyDNS and support Not On Record: https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Use promo code: notonrecord In Not On Record Episode 206, Joseph Neuberger and Diana Davison examine a disturbing case involving a false sexual assault threat against a prosecutor, and what it reveals about the justice system’s uneven treatment of false allegations, public mischief, extortion, credibility, and the real-world damage caused by wrongful accusations. This episode explores the legal and human consequences of false sexual assault claims, the difference between an acquittal and demonstrable factual innocence, and why so few complainants ar...

Not On Record | EP#205 | Bill C-16 EXPOSED: This New Law Could End Fair Trials Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord In Not on Record Episode 205, criminal defence lawyer Joseph Neuberger and co-host Diana Davison take a deep dive into Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, and explain why the proposed changes could have major consequences for Charter rights, sexual assault trials, domestic assault cases, Jordan delay applications, and the broader administration of justice in Canada. This episode breaks down how Parliament’s proposed amendments could reshape the handling of unreasonable delay, restrict the availability of stays of proceedings, and ex...

Criminal Defence Lawyers Joseph Neuberger, Michael Bury, and YouTube personality, legal researcher and host of the UnTrue Crime podcast Diana Davison, sit down and discuss the aftermath of their trials and the emerging and alarming changes to our legal system. A behind the scenes inside look into real courtroom drama. Website: http://www.NotOnRecordpodcast.com Sign up to our email list - http://eepurl.com/hw3g99 Social Media Links Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NotonRecord Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notonrecordpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@notonrecordpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notonrecord Telegram: https://t.me/NotOnRecord Minds...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord In Episode 203 of Not on Record, Joseph Neuberger and Michael Bury are joined by Alain Filotto of Alpha Fox Forensics, a former RCMP forensic investigator and court-recognised expert in computer and mobile forensics, for a deep dive into digital evidence, phone extractions, metadata, screenshots, deleted messages, and the growing threat of AI-generated evidence in criminal cases. This episode explores how Cellebrite and other forensic tools are used to extract data from iPhones, Android devices, laptops, and cloud backups, why screenshots and exported chats are often unreliable, how deleted texts and app messages become...

EP#202 | The 7-Day Rule That Makes No Sense in Real Courtrooms Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord A year after the Supreme Court of Canada’s June 13, 2025 decision in **R. v. Kinamore (2025 SCC 19)**, the Not on Record crew checks the scoreboard: did Crown attorneys actually start bringing **voir dire** applications before leading **Crown-led sexual history evidence**, including **sexual inactivity**, **virginity**, and “lack of sexual interest” messaging? The Court said the screening process should *mirror* the **s. 276 Criminal Code** regime the defence is already forced to navigate, aiming for basic **parity** and fair notice so an accused can know the case t...

EP#201 | CCTV Exposes Sexual Assault Allegation In Episode 201 of Not On Record, we break down a rare and powerful decision in an Ontario university assault case that resulted in a factually innocent ruling after a judge made explicit credibility findings trial-wide and used the word fabrication in her reasons. This false allegation case Ontario unfolded against the backdrop of a police investigation failure, where officers relied almost entirely on the complainant’s account and failed to secure critical CCTV evidence criminal trial footage that the defence ultimately obtained. We examine how the elimination of the preliminary inquiry eliminated Canada in se...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord In this milestone 200th episode of Not On Record, we dive into a live issue before the Supreme Court of Canada: R v Belinski (SCC 42030) and the ongoing debate over mens rea in sexual assault cases. When the defence of honest but mistaken belief in communicated consent is unavailable, does the Crown still have to prove the accused knew of, was reckless to, or was willfully blind to the absence of consent? The Crown argues that recent jurisprudence, including *Morrison*, has muddied the waters. But is the law actually unclear? We unpack conflicting...

In this episode of Not On Record, we dig into a real-world nightmare scenario: a sexual assault conviction based largely on credibility, followed by a late-stage application to reopen the trial because video evidence exists that directly undermines the accepted narrative. We break down how “fresh evidence” works before sentencing, why judges can still have jurisdiction to reopen proceedings, and why **real-time evidence** (video, audio, messages) can outweigh after-the-fact memory claims and assumptions about what someone “would never” do. We also tackle a developing legal battleground: does a surreptitious recording change the nature of consent (sexual assault by fraud), or is it be...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Two unusually messy files collide in one episode: a chiropractor accused during a routine treatment of an allegation so strange it practically dares common sense to enter the room, and a long-married couple whose financial dispute spirals into criminal charges and a three-day trial. The hosts walk through how these cases actually get resolved in the real world, why credibility isn’t just what’s said but how it’s said, and how the “paper trail” (texts, timing, behaviour, and courtroom discipline) can decide everything. Along the way: Crown pretrials, judicial pretrials, peace bonds, the...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord Tonight, the crew breaks down **what sentencing actually is** (and when it happens), and why what looks “lenient” to the public can be the result of a very structured legal framework. They walk through the sentencing process after a **guilty plea vs. after a trial**, explain what it means when the **“facts are read in”** (and why the judge’s “are these facts substantially true?” question can derail a plea), and outline how Crown and defence approach sentencing with **aggravating vs. mitigating factors**, character reference letters, restitution, counselling, and case law. From there, they unpack...

Sponsored by EasyDNS [https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord](https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord) How should courts treat an accused person’s post-offence behaviour apologies, emotional reactions, “weird” texts, or even what looks like a confession without turning normal human messiness into “consciousness of guilt”? Joseph, Diana, and the crew break down the guardrails around after-the-fact conduct and why context is everything, especially in sexual assault cases. They walk through three fresh decisions: Townsend (2025 BCCA 459) on the danger of leaping to guilt from a volatile reaction (and the appellate correction when alternative explanations weren’t properly weighed), JA (2025 ONSC 4531) on how chaotic teen/young-adult...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord In Episode 195, the hosts examine Bill C-16, the federal government’s latest omnibus criminal-law reform, and why it could significantly reshape Canada’s justice system. The discussion focuses on the proposed criminalization of coercive or controlling conduct in intimate relationships, the introduction of the term femicide”into the Criminal Code, and the automatic elevation of certain intimate-partner killings to first-degree murder. The episode also explores changes to criminal harassment, testimonial aids, AI-generated intimate images, sentencing discretion, and delay analysis under Jordan, raising serious concerns about evidentiary standards, constitutional rights, and the risk of abuse...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord ## Episode Description In Episode 194 of Not on Record, seasoned Canadian criminal defense lawyers Joseph Neuberger and Michael Lacy dive deep into the realities of jury trials in Canada. Sparked by a recent National Post article exploring the inner workings of juries, they debate whether they'd choose a jury or a judge-alone trial if charged with a serious offense. The discussion covers the impact of the 2019 abolition of peremptory challenges, the challenges of selecting an impartial jury in today's polarized climate, the importance of storytelling and engagement in jury addresses, cultural shifts affecting civic...

Sponsored by EasyDNS https://easydns.com/NotOnRecord In Episode 193 of Not On Record, the team dives deep into the controversial resurfaced clips of popular Twitch IRL streamer Nina Lin (2–3M followers), where she and another female streamer engage in highly sexualized “pranks” on male colleagues and strangers—including twerking on an unwilling assistant and slapping a man’s buttocks during a massage—sparking accusations of sexual assault. The hosts explore the glaring double standard: why a male streamer doing the exact same thing would be instantly canceled, de-platformed, and possibly charged, while Nina received only short bans and mocked the backlash. A...