These materials provide valuable, detailed pointers for the criminal defence lawyer on getting to trial, including strategies for using a systematic focus to improve case analysis, issue identification, and responding to the issues. The authors provide detailed, practical suggestions on many aspects of a criminal defence file including: analysis of the Crown’s case; reviewing the information/indictment; considering legal elements; dealing with co-accuseds; disclosure and production; elections; challenging the case to be made by the Crown; pre-trial preparations, including procedural considerations; jury versus non-jury trials; admissions; scheduling; preparing an opening address or summary; pretrial hearings; and running the trial itself, including details relating to issues of evidence. The role played by the bench on the way to trial is also discussed, outlining the relevant QB rules and forms and providing details on scheduling and holding pre-trial conferences and accessing case management.

This paper was presented at the Criminal Advocacy – Trial Strategy program in April, 2014.