Justice committee  Thank you very much.

Justice committee  It's unclear exactly how that would operate. As a technical matter, I think that the importance of a person being qualified as an expert is that the person is permitted to offer opinion evidence, as a matter of law of evidence. If a person is being advanced as a proposed expert,

Justice committee  People plead not guilty for a variety of reasons: one, because they are entitled to do so as a matter of law; two, because they are not guilty; three, because they can beat the charge; and four, because even if they're not sure they can beat the charge, the consequences are so si

Justice committee  If there is a legal standard, which this seems to impose, then it needs to be sufficiently precise that it is understood. “Impaired to any degree” suggests that there is a legal standard that can be satisfied, although it is barely detectable, so it is impairment to a barely perc

Justice committee  There certainly are some lawyers who do these cases in the hundreds and indeed the thousands. There's no doubt that this area of law is very extensively litigated. Sure, it's going to be challenged, and it's your job to do your best to ensure that this is constitutional, and my j

Justice committee  The concern with challenges is indeed really the time that it takes in court and uncertainties that arise as these cases work their way through the system.

Justice committee  I must say that I regard this as complex proposed legislation. I hope I've interpreted it properly. There's no doubt that a person can be impaired by drugs or alcohol. There's no doubt, as I understand it, that different amounts will have different effects on people. My remarks

Justice committee  It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for the invitation. Very briefly, I practise criminal constitutional law and have done so for the past 25 years. I'll try to bring that perspective to bear. Certainties will arise from the proposed amendments, and that is that roadside crim