Richmond

Peter A. Simm was co-counsel for the successful Appellant in Richmond v. College of Optometrists (Ontario)  (1995, Ont. Div. Ct.).

This complex statutory appeal (comprising a form of judicial review) dealt with numerous issues in administrative and quasi-criminal law, all arising from a botched disciplinary process in a self-governing health profession. The Court’s Reasons quoted extensively from the Factum which Simm research and drafted.

Remarkably, the Court concluded: “Since the whole procedure leading up to the [College's] Discipline Committee hearing was flawed, the matter should not be sent back but the complaints against Dr. Richmond should be dismissed.”

Richmond  is cited for multiple points of law in 10 legal textbooks and 9 judicial decisions, including by the Alberta Court of Appeal, Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, Federal Court of Canada, and B.C. Court of Appeal. This case has also been cited by statutory tribunals, such as the B.C. Health Professions Review Board, as recently as 2016.

Full cite: Richmond v. College of Optometrists (Ontario)  , 1995 CanLII 10631, 25 O.R. (3d) 448, 85 O.A.C. 379, [1995] O.J. No. 2621, 1995 CarswellOnt 1828 (Ont. Div. Ct.). (Co-counsel with F. Handy.)