Juripop receives authorization to intervene before the Court of Appeal

Montreal, August 26, 2024 – The Quebec Court of Appeal has granted Juripop’s request for friendly intervention in the appeal of the Superior Court judgment in A.B. v. Robert Miller.

This decision marks an important step for the rights of victims and survivors of sexual violence, recognizing the importance of considering their specific realities in this case where the possibility of tacitly waiving their rights is at stake.

This decision comes at a time when a woman who accused billionaire Robert Miller of sexual exploitation has seen her lawsuit dismissed by the Superior Court. The trial court had interpreted the plaintiff’s acceptance of $50,000 in cash at a meeting with the businessman’s lawyer as tacit acceptance of a release she had not signed. This ruling raised concerns about fairness and justice for victims of sexual violence, particularly with regard to the interpretation of their consent.

During the appeal of this decision, Juripop will have the opportunity to highlight the context of sexual exploitation between the parties, resulting in a significant imbalance of power. Juripop considers it essential to take this context into account, as well as the impact of trauma on victims and survivors, when assessing their behavior and consent.

Juripop’s intervention will aim to ensure that these important dimensions are adequately taken into account by the court, thus contributing to more fair and informed justice.

Through this action, Juripop is pursuing its mission to improve access to justice for all, which can be concretely achieved by contributing to the development of jurisprudence that accurately reflects the realities of victims and survivors of sexual violence.

Juripop sincerely thanks Gowling WLG and lawyers Suzie Lanthier and Laurianne Walker-Hanley for their pro bono involvement.