Author Archives: Sarah Burton

About Sarah Burton

Sarah Burton is the Research Associate with the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre. She attended law school at Dalhousie University, and was called to the Nova Scotia and Alberta bars in 2009. After working as a civil litigation associate for two years, in 2011 she returned to school to obtain a Master of Laws specialized in Human Rights and Public Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. After graduating with distinction, she returned to private practice and worked as a litigator with Norton Rose Fulbright’s Calgary office until March of 2014, when she accepted a research position with ACLRC. While working as a litigator, Sarah regularly represented clients in Court and appeared before the Alberta Court of Appeal. She enjoys research and writing, and has authored publications dealing with various civil litigation issues. Sarah is very interested in civil liberties and human rights issues, and has a history of involvement with organizations that provide advice and support to indefinitely detained asylum seekers. She is currently working on a research project with ACLRC with a goal of advancing access to justice for Albertans.

Judicial Dissent over Priorities in Civil Justice: Queue-Jumping and the Commercial List

By: Sarah Burton PDF Version: Judicial Dissent over Priorities in Civil Justice: Queue-Jumping and the Commercial List Case Commented On: Lustre Studio Inc. v West Edmonton Mall Property Inc, 2014 ABQB 525 In Lustre Studio Inc. v West Edmonton Mall … Continue reading

Posted in Access to Justice | 1 Comment

A Smart Decision – Access to Counsel for the Poor and Disabled in a Legal Aid Crisis

By: Sarah Burton PDF Version: A Smart Decision – Access to Counsel for the Poor and Disabled in a Legal Aid Crisis Case commented on: R v Smart, 2014 ABPC 175 Access to justice advocates should to take a few … Continue reading

Posted in Access to Justice, Criminal | Comments Off on A Smart Decision – Access to Counsel for the Poor and Disabled in a Legal Aid Crisis

Curious Interactions between the Charter, Contempt Orders, and the Evolution of Section 1

By: Sarah Burton PDF Version: Curious Interactions between the Charter, Contempt Orders, and the Evolution of Section 1 Case commented on: Alberta v AUPE, 2014 ABCA 197 In Alberta v AUPE the Alberta Court of Appeal reviewed the validity of … Continue reading

Posted in Constitutional | Comments Off on Curious Interactions between the Charter, Contempt Orders, and the Evolution of Section 1

Striking a Balance: Efficiency and Fairness in an Evolving Justice System

By: Sarah Burton PDF Version: Striking a Balance: Efficiency and Fairness in an Evolving Justice System Case commented on: Martin v. Sievers, 2014 ABQB 357 (CanLII) In Martin v. Sievers, 2014 ABQB 357 (Martin), Master Smart confirmed that lawyers control … Continue reading

Posted in Access to Justice, Civil Procedure | 1 Comment

What is “Advice”? Supreme Court Exempts Policy Options from Access to Information Request

By: Sarah Burton  PDF Version: What is “Advice”? Supreme Court Exempts Policy Options from Access to Information Request Case commented on: John Doe v Ontario (Finance), 2014 SCC 36 (CanLII) In this case, the Supreme Court of Canada considered whether … Continue reading

Posted in Privacy, Supreme Court of Canada | Comments Off on What is “Advice”? Supreme Court Exempts Policy Options from Access to Information Request