Time limits were meant to speed up justice. They also halt hundreds of criminal cases

Trial of Jeffrey Maclean was thrown out of B.C. Supreme Court of Canada in August 2023 .

The case against Maclean , who was charged with assault causing bodily harm and resisting arrest, was tossed out.

A landmark 2016 Supreme Court ruling in R. V. Jordan has reshaped the way criminal cases are handled since the ruling.

Supporters say the so-called Jordan ruling has sped up proceedings and strengthened Charter rights for prompt justice.

The debate over Jordan was reignited in B.C. this summer after a case was dismissed against a man accused of molesting a six-year-old .

At least 409 Jordan challenges have ended cases across Canada since the start of last year .

Victims and the public expect to see cases determined on their merits, not dismissed because of unreasonable delay.

More than 400 criminal cases have been halted across Canada since the start of last year because they had exceeded time limits on how long trials can take before violating an accused’s Charter rights.

Ontario: 178 cases stayed last year ; Quebec : 99 cases stayed in 2023 , and 68 more in 2024 as of Aug. 31 .