David Butcher Q.C.

Professional HistoryReported Case LawPublications and Conference PresentationsOther Professional Activities

Partner, Wilson│Butcher, Vancouver    2003-Present
Responsible for civil, criminal, and administrative practice specializing in police law, professional liability, professional discipline, serious criminal offences (defence and special prosecutions)

Partner, Singleton Urquhart, Vancouver    1992-2003
Responsible for civil, criminal, and administrative practice specializing in police law, professional liability, professional discipline, serious criminal offences

Associate, Singleton Urquhart MacDonald, Vancouver    1989-1992
Responsible for civil and criminal matters, primarily in areas of professional liability, professional discipline, and criminal prosecutions

Crown Counsel, Department of Justice, Vancouver    1986-1989
Responsible for prosecution of federal offences (narcotics, tax, customs, environmental and fisheries offences) and representation of foreign countries in extradition and mutual legal assistance cases

Articled Student, Department of Justice, Vancouver    1985-1986

Civil Litigation

BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors v. Abbotsford (City), 2014 BCSC 1817, 2015 BCCA 97, 2015 BCCA 142, 2015 BCCA 178 (Charter claim against police)
Mason v. Turner, 2014 BCSC 211 (police civil defence)
Isman v. City of New Westminster, 2011 BCSC 1066 (police civil defence)
Boehmke v. Grant et al., 2010 BCSC 682 (police civil defence)
Dalstrom v. Organized Crime Agency of BC, 2008 BCSC 844 (police civil defence)
Shingler v. British Columbia (Attorney General) et al., 2008 BCSC 364 (police civil defence)
British Columbia (Civil Forfeiture Act, Director) v. Tse, 2007 BCSC 995 (civil forfeiture)
Director v. Peterson et al., 2007 BCSC 1536 (civil forfeiture)
Hamid v. New Westminster (City), 2007 BCSC 597 (police civil defence)
Cragg v. Tone et al., 2006 BCSC 1020; rev’d Cragg v. West Vancouver (District), 2007 BCCA 441; leave to appeal to S.C.C. denied, 2008 CanLII 19001 (S.C.C.) (police civil defence)
Hamouth v. Canada (Attorney General) et al., 2006 BCSC 74, 2006 BCSC 105 (police civil defence)
Williams v. City of Vancouver, 2005 BCSC 1382 (police civil defence)
City of Abbotsford v. Krist, 2005 BCPC 708 (police defence)
Macdonald Waldron v. Wickes et al., 2005 BCSC 589 (police civil defence)
Phillips v. Vancouver Sun, 2004 BCCA 14 (police media law)
Khadikin v. City of Nelson, 2003 BCSC 1987 (police defence)
AGBC. v. Rowland et al., 2002 BCSC 848 (injunction)
Harris v. Sweet et al., 2001 BCSC 504 (police civil defence)
Parrett v. Vanderford et al., 2001 BCSC 23 (police civil defence)
Anderson v. Smith et al., 2000 BCSC 1194 (police civil defence)
District of Maple Ridge v. Meyer, 2000 BCSC 902 (municipal bylaw injunction)
Rowland v. Vancouver College Ltd., 2001 BCCA 527 (bankruptcy)
Regional District of Fraser Fort George v. Ministry of Forests, 1998 CanLII 5704 (B.C.S.C.) (Forest fire claim)
Rosario v. Gladney et al., 1998 CanLII 1787 (B.C.S.C.) (police civil defence)
Berwick West Development Inc. v. B.C. Hydro and Power Authority et al., 1996 CanLII 2637 (B.C.S.C.) (tendering)
Sea Farm Canada Inc. v. Denton et al., 1991 CanLII 804 (B.C.S.C.) (professional negligence)

Professional Discipline and Administrative Law (professional discipline except where indicated)

B.C. (Police Complaint Commissioner) v. Abbotsford Police Department, 2015 BCSC 978, 2015 BCCA 523 (disclosure in Police Act proceeding)
Simpkin v. Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Board, 2014 BCHRT 255, 2015 BCHRT 129 (human rights complaint by police officer)
Lowe v. Diebolt, 2013 BCSC 1092, aff’d 2014 BCCA 280 (police discipline)
B.C. (Police Complaint Commissioner) v. Bowyer, 2012 BCSC 1018 (judicial review)
Stupple v. Victoria Police, 2011 BCHRT 97 (human rights complaint)
Bentley v. Braidwood, 2009 BCCA 604 (judicial review)
Rundel v. B.C. – Braidwood Commission, 2009 BCSC 814 (judicial review)
532871 B.C. Ltd. dba Urban Well v. British Columbia (General Manager, Liquor Control and Licensing Branch), 2005 BCSC 422; 2004 BCCA 449; 2005 BCCA 416 (judicial review)
Gavrilko v. College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia, 2004 BCSC 1506
British Columbia (Police Complaint Commissioner) v. Murphy, 2003 BCSC 279
Doern & Jones v. Morrison, 2000 BCSC 1299; rev’d Doern v. Police Complaint Commissioner, 2001 BCCA 446; leave to appeal to S.C.C. granted, [2001] S.C.C.A. No. 504 (QL)
Doern v. British Columbia, 2001 BCCA 446, 92 B.C.L.R. (3d) 76 (C.A.)
Dentist v. College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia, 1999 CanLII 5987 (B.C.S.C.)
NLK Consultants Inc. v. British Columbia (Human Rights Commission), 1999 CanLII 6340 (B.C.S.C.) (human rights)
Regional District of Fraser-Fort George v. Ministry of Forests et al., 1998 CanLII 5704 (B.C.S.C.) (judicial review)
Kanigan v. College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia, 1998 CanLII 4541 (B.C.S.C.), 1999 CanLII 6009 (B.C.S.C.)
Vancouver Aboriginal Justice Centre Society v. Legal Services Society of B.C., 1996 CanLII 1304 (B.C.S.C.); 1997 CanLII 3928 (B.C.C.A.) (injunction)
Assn. of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of British Columbia v. Mah, 1995 CanLII 824 (B.C.C.A.)
Brown v. Assn. of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists, [1994] B.C.J. No. 2037 (S.C.) (QL).

Criminal Prosecutions

R. v. Leslie and Najafi-Chaghabouri, 2012 BCSC 683; 2012 BCSC 1888 (kidnapping, murder), aff’d 2014 BCCA 278
R. v. Kapp, 2003 BCPC 279, 2004 BCPC 151(fisheries, constitutional challenge)
R. v. Rytter, 1996 CanLII 1955 (B.C.S.C.) (drugs)
R. v. Harris, 1993 BCPC 3, aff’d 1995 CanLII 239 (B.C.S.C.) (tax)
R. v. Allen, 1993 CanLII 785 (B.C.S.C.) (constitutional challenge)
R. v. Sandhu, 1992 CanLII 457 (B.C.S.C.) (drugs)
R. v. Kerr, 1991 CanLII 2201 (B.C.C.A.) (drugs)
R. v. Kariotakis, 1990 CanLII 1327 (B.C.S.C.) (fisheries)
Purves v. Attorney General of Canada, 1988 CanLII 3280 (B.C.S.C.) (bail estreatment)
R. v. Denbigh, 1988 CanLII 3277 (B.C.S.C.) (drugs)
R. v. Wiggins, [1987] B.C.J. No. 2210 (S.C.) (QL); 1988 CanLII 3273 (B.C.C.A.) (drugs)
R. v. Hately, 1987 CarswellBC 1871 (S.C.) (drugs)
R. v. Lemelin, 1987 CarswellBC 1462 (Co. Ct.) (drugs)
R. v. Joseph, 1985 CarswellBC 675 (Co. Ct.) (validity of Band fishing by-laws)

Criminal Defence

R. v. Baker, 2015 BCPC 296 (police officer, false statements)
R. v. Shipley, 2015 BCPC 276 (police officer, use of force)
R. v. Mullin, 2015 BCPC 48 (police media law)
R. v. Malik, 2013 BCCA 265 (sexual assault)
R. v. Dhesi, 2012 BCCA 9 (judicial interim release)
R. v. Ball, 2011 BCCA 11 (manslaughter conviction appeal)
R. v. Kostiuk, 2011 BCPC 117 (police officer, due care and attention sentencing)
Chatterjee v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2009 SCC 19 (counsel for intervener)
R. v. Gillan, 2009 BCPC 241 (police officer, assault sentencing)
R. v. Laudisio, 2008 BCPC 124 (fraud)
R. v. Peters, 2008 BCSC 1839 (police officer, assault sentencing)
R. v. McCotter, 2007 BCSC 1646 (murder sentencing)
R. v. Ciancio, 2006 BCSC 1673 (murder)
R. v. Terezakis, 2006 BCPC 1070 (extortion)
R. v. Coon, 2006 BCCA 190 (sentence appeal)
City of Abbotsford v. Krist, 2005 BCPC 708 (s. 490 application)
R. v. Atwal, 2004 BCSC 998, 2004 BCSC 1517, 2005 BCSC 940 (murder)
R. v. Cronmiller et al., 2004 BCPC 1 (police officer, assault sentencing)
R. v. Hannibal, 2004 BCPC 471; rev’d 2006 BCSC 4; appeal dismissed, 2007 BCCA 299; leave to appeal denied, 2008 CanLII 2985 (S.C.C.) (police officer, assault with Taser)
R. v. Stewart, 2004 BCPC 37 (assault)
U.S.A. v. Fiessel et al., 2004 BCSC 64 (extradition)
U.S.A. v. Gilliland, 2003 BCSC 2020 (extradition)
R. v. Terezakis, 2003 BCSC 1383 (drug trafficking sentencing)
R. v. Ciancio, 2003 BCPC 23 (firearms offences)
R. v. B. (S.M.), 2003 BCPC 7 (dangerous driving)
R. v. Beaulac, 2002 BCSC 1182 (Rowbotham application)
R. v. Hancock, 2001 BCSC 871 (sentencing)
R. v. Grandin, 2001 BCCA 340 (conviction appeal)
R. v. Grouhel, 2000 BCSC 1581, 2001 BCSC 871 (manslaughter defence)
R. v. Guess, 2000 BCCA 547, 2000 BCCA 602 (conviction and sentence appeal)
District of Maple Ridge v. Meyer, 2000 BCSC 902 (constitutional challenge to bylaw)
R. v. Schlick, 1999 CanLII 2371 (B.C.S.C.) (conviction appeal)
R. v. Kutschera, 1999 BCCA 748 (manslaughter sentence appeal)
Lau v. Australia, 1999 CanLII 5373 (B.C.S.C.) (rendition)
R. v. Clymore, 1999 BCCA 225 (money laundering)
R. v. Lavallee, Rackel & Heintz, 1997 CanLII 14749 (A.B.Q.B.); Lavallee, Rackel & Heintz v. Canada (Attorney General), 1998 ABQB 436; aff’d 2000 ABCA 54; aff’d 2002 SCC 661 (constitutional challenge)
Lavallee, Rackel and Heintz v. R. (1997), 199 A.R. 21 (Alta. Q.B.) (judicial review)
R. v. Clark, 1997 CanLII 2730 (B.C.C.A.) (conviction appeal)
R. v. Fisk, [1997] B.C.J. No. 542 (S.C.) (QL) (bail pending retrial)
R. v. Galloway Lumber Co. Ltd., 1997 CanLII 2371 (B.C.S.C.) (environmental pollution)
R. v. Stone, 1997 CanLII 2478 (B.C.C.A.), 1997 CanLII 2573 (B.C.C.A.); (1999), 135 C.C.C. (3d) 353 (S.C.C.) (manslaughter conviction/sentence appeals)
R. v. Connors, 1996 CanLII 1712 (B.C.S.C.) (armed robbery)
R. v. McGee, 1996 CanLII 3004 (B.C.C.A.) (sentence appeal)
R. v. Paquette, 1996 CanLII 2515 (B.C.C.A.) (conviction appeal)
R. v. Caplette, 1995 CanLII 3008 (B.C.S.C.) (manslaughter sentencing)
R. v. Lee, [1995] B.C.J. No. 1119 (Prov. Ct.) (QL) (sexual assault)
R. v. Amos, 1990 CanLII 1902 (B.C.C.A.) (conviction appeal)
R. v. N. (F.C.), 1990 CanLII 2095 (B.C.C.A.) (sentence appeal)

Public Hearings, Inquiries, and Inquests

Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Robinson    2013
• Counsel for Department
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Hill and McRae    2013
• Counsel for members
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Jansen    2013
• Counsel for member
Missing Women Commission of Inquiry    2013
• Counsel for individual police officer
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Wood    2011
• Counsel for member
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Bowser and Robinson    2011
• Counsel for member
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner v. Lemna and Young    2011
• Counsel for member
Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River    2010-2011
• Counsel for participant group
Public Hearing, Police Complaint Commissioner (“PCC”) v. O’Neill and Asmussen    2010
• Counsel for members
Public Hearing, PCC v. Gillan    2010
• Counsel for member
Braidwood Commissions of Inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski    2008-2009
• Counsel for member
Public Hearing, PCC v. Gemmell and Kojima    2005
• Counsel for member
Public Hearing, PCC v. Jones and Doern    2004
• Counsel for member
APEC Inquiry    1999
• Counsel for Vancouver Police Department
Inquest into the Quesnel gas explosion    1997
• Counsel for BC Gas
B.C. Utilities Commission, Kemano Project Completion Review    1993-1994
• Counsel for Nechako Fisheries Conservation Programme
Inquests into in-custody deaths    Various
• Counsel for police agencies and individuals

Wrongful Convictions- The Role of Defence Counsel” (Presentation at Simon Fraser University, Surrey, 2016)
IIO Criminal Investigations” (Paper presented to the Western Labour Conference, Whistler, 2015)
Expert Evidence” (Presentation at Continuing Legal Education, Vancouver, 2015)
Civil Liability of Police Officers” (Paper presented to the Western Labour Conference,
Confidential Informants” (panellist), Provincial Crown Counsel Conference, Whistler, 2012.
The Latest Word on Use of Force” (panellist), Canadian Institute Western Canadian Conference on the Law of Policing, Vancouver 2012.
Top 10 Police Act Legal Issues 2011” (Paper presented to the Canadian Institute Western Canadian Conference on the Law of Policing, Vancouver, 2011).
Civil Liability of Police Officers” (Paper presented to the Canadian Institute Western Canadian Conference on the Law of Policing, Vancouver, 2010).
Civil Forfeiture Act, S.B.C. 2005, c. 29” (Paper presented to the Continuing Legal Education course on “Criminal Law and the Charter”, Vancouver, 2009).
Panellist, Continuing Legal Education course on “Statements of the Accused”, 2008.
Panellist, Continuing Legal Education Criminal Law Boot Camp, Vancouver, 2007.
Civil Forfeiture” (Paper presented to the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. Annual Conferences, 2007 and 2008).
Section 1 of the Charter, A Primer” (Paper presented to the Continuing Legal Education Charter Conference, Vancouver, 2002).
Expert Evidence” (Paper presented to the Continuing Legal Education Advocacy Conference, Vancouver, 2001).
The Use of Evidence Gathered by Private Agencies” and “Gathering Evidence in International Investigations” (Paper presented to the Continuing Legal Education Commercial Crime course, Vancouver, 1997).
C.B.A. Submission to Oppal Commission of Inquiry into Policing in British Columbia (1994).
Unreasonable Delay in Professional Discipline Hearings” (1994) 1(4) Professional Liability and Discipline Litigation.
Substantive Forfeiture Issues” (Paper presented to the Continuing Legal Education Proceeds of Crime course, Vancouver, 1993).

Canadian Bar Association

Member and Vice-Chair, BC Branch, Legal Aid Committee    1998-2003
Member, Provincial and National Council    1996-2002
Member and Co-Chair, Planning and Priorities Committee    1998-2002
Legislative Liaison, Val Anderson, MLA    1992-2002

University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law

Guest Instructor, Advanced Trial Advocacy, University of British Columbia    2002-2014
Coach, Western Canada Moot, University of British Columbia    1996-2004
Coach, Dean Burns Moot, University of British Columbia    1994-1998

Law Society of British Columbia

Guest Instructor, Professional Legal Training Course, Law Society of British Columbia    Various