Conrad Black v. Richard C. Breeden et al. -- from Court of Appeal website

The respondent, Conrad Black, filed six libel actions in the Ontario Superior Court, in respect of statements posted on the Hollinger International, Inc. (Hollinger International) website. The defendants in the actions are directors, advisors and a Vice President of Hollinger International. Black alleged that press releases and reports issued by the defendants contained defamatory statements that were downloaded, read and republished in Ontario by The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and the National Post, and damaged his reputation in Ontario.

The defendants brought a motion to stay the actions on the ground that the Ontario court did not have jurisdiction, or alternatively that Ontario was not the convenient forum. The defendants argued that there was no real and substantial connection between Ontario and the actions, and that the more appropriate forum was either New York or Illinois. The motion judge, Belobaba J., disagreed and dismissed the defendants’ motion on March 31, 2009.

The defendants appealed the decision. The appeal was heard on May 3, 2010 by a court composed of Justices Doherty, Juriansz and Karakatsanis.

The decision of the Court will be released at 11:00 o’clock on Friday, August 13, 2010.

At that time, copies of the decision will be available at the registry of the Court and will be posted on the court's website: http://www.ontariocourts.on.ca/decisions_index/new_releases.htm