Welcome to the Ontario Civil Trial Manual, authored by civil trial lawyer Mick Hassell.
The Ontario Civil Trial Manual was written for law firms, lawyers, paralegals, law clerks, legal assistants and self-reps. It is a practical online resource of trial information and trial precedents – the manual is not legal advice for trials.
The focus of the trial manual is civil cases before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, however, there are resources relevant to trials in other areas of law and other forums, for example the resource on cross-examination.
The trial manual is organized around the 6 Trial Fundamentals: story, people, documents and things, law of evidence, trial procedure and substantive law.
The road to trial – a civil trial preparation checklist is a useful guide as you prepare for trial.
STORY
- Theory of the case, opening statement, closing argument
- Agreed statement of facts
- Request to admit facts
- Examination transcripts at trial
PEOPLE
DOCUMENTS AND THINGS
- Trial document brief
- Joint trial document brief
- Request to admit the authenticity of documents
- Exhibit list
LAW OF EVIDENCE
- Expert witnesses and expert reports
- Evidence Act notice – business records
- Evidence Act notice – medical
- Law of evidence fundamentals
- Common objections
TRIAL PROCEDURE
- The road to trial – a civil trial preparation checklist
- Setting actions down for trial
- Pre-trial conferences
- Motions at trial
- How trial sittings work
- Jury selection
- Jury questions
SUBSTANTIVE LAW
Ontario Civil Trial Manual
This manual is trial information, not trial legal advice.
Copyright Notice ©
The Ontario Civil Trial Manual is copyrighted. For permission to reproduce part of the trial manual please call (416) 944-2274 or email info@trialcounsel.ca. Feedback and topic suggestions are welcome. Thank you.