Martin L. Friedland – författare

Born in Ireland in 1879, W.P.M. Kennedy was a distinguished Canadian academic and the leading Canadian constitutional law scholar for much of the twentieth century. Despite his trailblazing career and intriguing personal life, Kennedy’s story is largely a mystery. Weaving together a number of key events, Martin L. Friedland’s lively biography discusses Kennedy’s contributions as a legal and interdisciplinary scholar, his work at the University of Toronto where he founded the Faculty of Law, as well as his personal life, detailing stories about his family and important friends, such as Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

Kennedy earned a reputation in some circles for being something of a scoundrel, and Friedland does not shy away from addressing Kennedy’s exaggerated involvement in drafting the Irish constitution, his relationships with female students, and his quest for recognition. Throughout the biography, Friedland interjects with his own personal narratives surrounding his interactions with the Kennedy family, and how he came to acquire the private letters noted in the book. The result is a readable, accessible biography of an important figure in the history of Canadian intellectual life.

Born in Ireland in 1879, W.P.M. Kennedy was a distinguished Canadian academic and the leading Canadian constitutional law scholar for much of the twentieth century. Despite his trailblazing career and intriguing personal life, Kennedy’s story is largely a mystery. Weaving together a number of key events, Martin L. Friedland’s lively biography discusses Kennedy’s contributions as a legal and interdisciplinary scholar, his work at the University of Toronto where he founded the Faculty of Law, as well as his personal life, detailing stories about his family and important friends, such as Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

Kennedy earned a reputation in some circles for being something of a scoundrel, and Friedland does not shy away from addressing Kennedy’s exaggerated involvement in drafting the Irish constitution, his relationships with female students, and his quest for recognition. Throughout the biography, Friedland interjects with his own personal narratives surrounding his interactions with the Kennedy family, and how he came to acquire the private letters noted in the book. The result is a readable, accessible biography of an important figure in the history of Canadian intellectual life.

The judicial system occupies an important place in society, yet it has been one of the least studied of Canadian institutions. Traditionally, examination and criticism of the trial process have been left to lawyers and members of the legal profession. In this volume nine non-lawyers scrutinize its operation in Canada from the perspectives of several academic disciplines.

Reginald Allen, a philosopher and classicist, discusses the modern trial process in the light of the trial of Socrates; Anatol Rapoport, a mathematician noted for his work in the fields of game theory and conflict resolution, analyses the adversary system from Charles Hanly, a philosopher and psychoanalyst, uses the Truscott case to explore the psychopathological aspects of a trial from a Freudian viewpoint; one political scientist, Peter Russell, examine the courts'' role in the development of the law; another, Donald Smiley, studies their role as protector of civil liberties; James Giffen, a sociologist, points out the inadequacy of the criminal justice system as a means of controlling alcohol and drug addiction; Donald Dewees, an economist, examines court regulation of economic behaviour; and Kenneth McNaught, a historian, discusses the political trial in the Canadian legal system.

Detention before trial has been one of the most neglected areas in the whole administration of criminal justice. In the past, attention has been focussed almost exclusively on detention after trial (i.e. sentencing), which touches the lives of significantly fewer persons than detention before trial. There has been no previous examination in Canada of the utility or effectiveness of its operation. This study will fill an important need by documenting statistically the extent and nature of custody before trial in the Toronto Magistrates'' Courts, where the overwhelming majority of citizens charged with criminal offences in the Toronto area are tried. Although the study is primarily directed at practices before trial in Toronto, many of these practices can be found in other cities throughout North America.

Specific areas of importance which were investigated here include the use of the summons; the extent to which accused persons are detained in custody both before and after the first court appearance; bail-setting practices and the ability to raise bail; the activities of professional bondsmen; the enforcement of penalties for absconding; and the relationship between custody and the outcome of the trial. Much of the presentation of the data is descriptive, but attempts are made throughout the study to prove statistically the existence of casual relationships. The result is a work which brings together in lucid and scholarly form important evidence which will be valuable to lawyers and all who are professionally concerned with social problems, and of interest to everyone with a regard for the administration of justice.

The judicial system occupies an important place in society, yet it has been one of the least studied of Canadian institutions. Traditionally, examination and criticism of the trial process have been left to lawyers and members of the legal profession. In this volume nine non-lawyers scrutinize its operation in Canada from the perspectives of several academic disciplines.

Reginald Allen, a philosopher and classicist, discusses the modern trial process in the light of the trial of Socrates; Anatol Rapoport, a mathematician noted for his work in the fields of game theory and conflict resolution, analyses the adversary system from Charles Hanly, a philosopher and psychoanalyst, uses the Truscott case to explore the psychopathological aspects of a trial from a Freudian viewpoint; one political scientist, Peter Russell, examine the courts'' role in the development of the law; another, Donald Smiley, studies their role as protector of civil liberties; James Giffen, a sociologist, points out the inadequacy of the criminal justice system as a means of controlling alcohol and drug addiction; Donald Dewees, an economist, examines court regulation of economic behaviour; and Kenneth McNaught, a historian, discusses the political trial in the Canadian legal system.