2022 QCCA 1414, 2022 QCCA 1414

Neverson c. R. 2022 QCCA 1414 COUR D'APPEL CANADA PROVINCE DE QUÉBEC GREFFE DE MONTRÉAL N o : 500-10-007274-200 ( 500-01-112751-141 ) PROCÈS-VERBAL D'AUDIENCE DATE : Le 17 octobre 2022 L’HONORABLE STEPHEN W. HAMILTON, J.C.A.

PARTIE APPELANTE AVOCAT Septimus Neverson Me Maxime Hébert-Lafontaine ( Latour Dorval )

PARTIE INTIMÉE AVOCATE SA MAJESTÉ LE ROI Me MARIE-EVE MAYER ( Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales ) Par visioconférence DESCRIPTION : Requête de l'appelant afin d'obtenir l'autorisation de produire un mémoire de plus de trente pages (Art. 38 et 47 R.C.a.Q.m.c .) Greffière-audiencière : Ariane Simard-Trudel Salle : RC-18 AUDITION 9 h 27 Début de l’audience.

Identification du dossier et des avocats. 9 h 28 Argumentation de Me Hébert-Lafontaine. 9 h 29 Échanges entre le juge et Me Hébert-Lafontaine. 9 h 32 Me Hébert-Lafontaine reprend ses représentations. 9 h 37 Échanges entre le juge et Me Hébert-Lafontaine. 9 h 39 Me Hébert-Lafontaine reprend ses représentations. 9 h 40 Argumentation de Me Mayer.

9 h 42 Échanges entre le juge et Me Mayer. 9 h 43 PAR LE JUGE : Le jugement sera rendu sur procès-verbal et sera transmis aux parties dès qu’il sera disponible – voir page 3. Fin de l’audience. Ariane Simard-Trudel, Greffière-audiencière JUGEMENT [ 1 ] The Appellant was convicted of 46 counts relating to 13 home invasions that were committed in two waves, one in 2006 and the other in 2009. The sole issue at trial was whether the Appellant was the perpetrator of some, all or none of the home invasions.

The trial lasted 37 days, with 77 witnesses and 7,015 pages of transcripts. [ 2 ] The issues raised in the notice of appeal relate to the admissibility and the use of similar fact evidence and the possibility of collusion with respect to the evidence of the confessions made by the Appellant to two brothers. [ 3 ] The Appellant seeks permission to file a 45 page argument. He produced as an exhibit a draft argument of 42 pages.

The Respondent does not contest the motion and asks to be authorized to file an argument of the same length. [ 4 ] The issue of the admissibility and the use of similar fact evidence is complex and the Appellant will need to refer to details of the 13 home invasions to demonstrate the similarities and the differences between them. [ 5 ] Although it is exceptional for a judge of the Court allow a party to file an argument that exceeds 30 pages, I am satisfied, based on my review of the legal issues raised and the factual complexities of this case, that it is appropriate to do so in this case.

However, I am of the view that the Appellant should be able to edit the draft argument and shorten it to 40 pages. The same will apply to the Respondent. [ 6 ] FOR THESE REASONS, THE UNDERSIGNED: [ 7 ] GRANTS the Appellant’s motion for authorization to file an argument that exceeds 30 pages; [ 8 ] AUTHORIZES the Appellant and the Respondent to file briefs in which parts I to IV of the argument do not exceed 40 pages. STEPHEN W. HAMILTON, J.C.A.