In a decision that will no doubt have significant ramifications for businesses, governments, and the litigation bar across Canada, Associate Chief Justice Rooke of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench has addressed a vexatious group of litigants who have plagued the Canadian legal system for over a decade. The Court has named this troubling group the Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Argument litigants, or OPCA litigants for short. To some, OPCA litigants may be better known by various labels such as Detaxers, Freemen-on-the-Land, Sovereign Citizens, and many others. They are known for refusing to recognize bills, debts, tax assessments, or any legal obligations for that matter. Although their arguments have been universally dismissed when presented in Court, OPCA litigants have never been effectively recognized as a defined or collective group warranting a coordinated response. Justice Rooke's decision does exactly that. It provides a universal go-to authority to assist in the effective dismissal of OPCA claims at an early stage in the proceedings and will be instructive reading for judges, lawyers, and business persons across the country. Read the whole article by Artem Barsukov and William Hembroff on the full Bennett Jones website.

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