More Information

The accused is required to file and serve a response to the Crown opening.

What the response does is go through each of the paragraphs of the Crown Opening and reply to it.

If a fact is admitted by the accused (like living in the same house during a period of time) then that would be admitted in the defence response.

The aim of the Opening and Response are to try to limit the issues that are in dispute and for everyone to be aware of what may be raised.

It is also in the Response that the defence might raise any other topics about evidentiary issues (ie that part of the record of interview is disputed or that there will be an argument over the admissibility of a witness giving certain evidence etc).

A Defence Response will reflect the instructions and strategy that you and your lawyer have put in place.