Supreme Court to review Ontario ruling that could cause multiple verdicts to be thrown out

Canada's highest court has agreed to review anOntario ruling that could cause scores of criminal cases in that province to be thrown out over how changes to the jury selection process wereapplied.

The Supreme Court of Canada has given the green light for anappeal and counter-appeal in the case, which centres on the constitutionality of sweeping legal reforms brought in under Bill C-75.

In January, the Court of Appeal forOntariounanimously upheldthe constitutionality of the changes, which included scrappingso-called "peremptory challenges."

However, the appeal court found that anyone who chose to be triedby a jury before the new rules kicked in last September is entitledto proceed with peremptory challenges, even if the trial beginsafter that date.