An Adjudicator’s Toolkit

Sufficiency of reasons plus "the sins of the lawyer"

As well, some New Year's Resolutions - some for others and some for me

Dec 12 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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Guidance on AI confidentiality and a critique plus more on adjournments

A look at new guidance on confidentiality and AI from the United Kingdom and yet another case on adjournment requests

Dec 5 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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November 2025

Failure to record a hearing and “obiter”

New cases on when a failure to have a transcript is not fatal, and how decision-makers can use non-binding opinions by the courts

Nov 28 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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AI and the further erosion of collegiality

Comments from recent presentations, plus case briefs on vexatious litigants, referring to the wrong statute and cautions on using active adjudication

Nov 21 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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The challenges in applying the "Open Court" principle

A new case out of Nova Scotia on anonymization requests plus insights into the federal budget and ostriches.

Nov 7 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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October 2025

On adjournments

Denying a second adjournment - how to approach the request

Oct 31 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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Credibility assessments

A new decision on credibility and prior consistent statements, plus upcoming conferences/webinars

Oct 24 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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AI as a tool - "jolly useful or jolly dangerous"?

Sir Geoffrey Vos on the questions we should be asking about AI and justice, plus a note on managing backlogs

Oct 17 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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The challenges of criticizing counsel

Also, more on the risks of active adjudication

Oct 10 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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Mental health and procedural fairness

What duty does a decision-maker have? Stretching the boundaries of the duty of accommodation

Oct 3 • Ian R. Mackenzie

September 2025

Rainy day reflections on AI and surreptitious recordings

A brief discussion of unreliable AI and a case comment on admissibility of surreptitious recordings

Sep 26 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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"La Rentrée" and the end of summer

In France, "la rentrée" is the return to school and work after a summer - a return to normalcy

Sep 19 • Ian R. Mackenzie

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