Standards of review employed by appellate courts

I. THE ROLE OF THE APPELLATE TRIBUNALS

• 1. Why Standards of Review? 
• 2. Why Review? 
• 3. Why Limit Review? 
• 4. Reconciliation of Competing Claims: A Sense of Role 
• 5. Some Dubious Explanations for Limited Review 
• 6. Some Dubious Calls for Expanded Review 

II. THE STANDARDS

• 1. The Standards 
• 2. Interpretative Problems
• 3. Dangerous Formulations of the Unreasonableness Standard 

III. CATEGORIES FOR REVIEW GENERALLY

• 1. Introduction 
• 2. Criteria for Standards Choice 
• 3. The Basic Tests for Selection of the Standards 

IV. STANDARDS OF REVIEW AND ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS

• 1. Introduction 
• 2. Recent Developments in the Law 
• 3. The Modern Rules for Judicial Review of Decisions by Administrative Tribunals: The Standards 
• 4. The Modern Rules for Judicial Review of Decisions by Administrative Tribunals: The Categories 

V. MATTERS OF FACT

• 1. Reception of Evidence 
• 2. The Weighing of Evidence 
• 3. Fact-finding 
• 4. Inferences 
• 5. Social Facts 

VI. MATTERS OF LAW

• 1. Errors in Application of Governing Rules 
• 2. Error of Law Generally 
• 3. Mixed Fact and Law 
• 4. The Appropriate Criteria for Selection of a Standard When a Question of Law Arises 
• 5. Reasons for Decision by First Tribunal 
• 6. Appeals Limited to Matters of Law Alone 

VII. GUIDELINES

• 1. Modern Re-statement of the Rule 
• 2. Problems with the Traditional Discretion Categories 
• 3. Specific Cases 

VIII. HARMLESS ERROR

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Nullity Rule 
• 3. The Untainted Decision Rule 
• 4. The Inevitable Result Rule 
• 5. Fair Appearances Rule
• 6. Specific Applications of the Harmlessness Rules 

IX. CONSENSUAL ARBITRATION

• 1. What is Consensual Arbitration 
• 2. Domestic Consensual Arbitration 
• 3. International Commercial Arbitration 

X. RELIEF

• 1. Choice of Relief 
• 2. A New Trial 
• 3. A Fresh Assessment 
• 4. Fresh Evidence on Appeal 
• 5. Mootness 

XI. SECOND LEVEL REVIEW

• 1. Generally 
• 2. Appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada 

XII. LEAVE TO APPEAL

• 1. Leave to Appeal and Standards of Review 
• 2. Leave Rules 
• 3. Burden of Persuasion on a Leave Application 
• 4. General Public Importance 
• 5. At Large or on Specified Issues