The City of Vancouver was heavily penalzed for witholding documents from the plaintiff during the trial process in Williams v. Vancouver (City of), 2005 BCSC 1900. The matter was heard in front of a jury. The documents in question were not properly identified in the list of documents exchanged by counsel in advance of the trial. They appeared to provide the basis for a damaging cross-examination of one of the plaintiff’s witnesses.

The result of the improper disclosure was costs thrown away and a mis-trial. Oops.