Concerning incident at the Oshawa Courthouse in Ontario
The Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada (ALAP) is deeply concerned about the serious incident reported at the Oshawa courthouse in Ontario on Jan. 23, 2026. Sudine Riley, a Black criminal defence lawyer, reported that she was subjected to the use of force by officers of Durham Regional Police Services while she was working in an interview room at the courthouse. Ms. Riley reported that officers questioned her authority to be in the interview room and subsequently removed her by force. She stated that she was physically harmed in the process, placed in handcuffs, taken to holding cells in the courthouse basement and charged with trespassing.
February 9, 2026