S.J. Runyon Law Corporation
CRIMINAL LITIGATION AND APPEALS
Sarah Runyon
Criminal Lawyer
She regularly appears in all levels of court in British Columbia, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Sarah regularly defends clients charged with a range of offences including first- and second-degree murder, manslaughter, drug trafficking offences and sexual assaults.
Upon graduation, Sarah clerked for several Justices of the British Columbia Supreme Court. She is a former Fulbright Scholar and continues to publish material in leading Canadian law journals and takes particular pride in acting as intervenor counsel with various not for profit organizations around the province.
Throughout her career, Sarah has been a frequent presenter on professional topics-in particular criminal procedure, laws of evidence and law reform-for the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, CLEBC, and Courthouse Libraries.
Notable Cases
2026 BCCA 363 R. v. Simms
Counsel for the Appellant on appeal from: An order of the Supreme Court Of British Columbia, dated October 29, 2024
R v Attachie 2025 BCCA 294
Counsel for the Appellant on appeal from: An order of the Provincial Court of British Columbia, dated July 30, 2024
R v Davis 2025 BCSC 113
Counsel for the Appellant on appeal from: An order of the Provincial Court of British Columbia, dated November 4, 2024
R v T.L. 2023 BCCA 167
Intervenor counsel for West Coast LEAF on a successful constitutional challenge to provisions of the BC Child, Family and Community Service Act
R v Ellis 2022 BCCA 278
Counsel on the first case in Canada to introduce expert opinion evidence on the issue of whether denunciation and deterrence is effective in combating drug trafficking related harms
R v S.D. 2022 BCSC 2302
Counsel on the first case in Canada to apply s. 276 of the Criminal Code to a Gardiner Hearing
R v R.J.H. 2021 BCCA 54
Counsel on one of BC’s leading cases pertaining to s.161 orders
R v Zora 2020 SCC 14
Counsel on the leading case pertaining to the law of bail
R v Price 2017 BCSC 739
Counsel on a charge of second-degree murder leading to an acquittal
R v Ordano 2017 BCPC 32
Counsel on a series of firearm offences leading to a “not criminally responsible due to mental disorder verdict”
R v Johnny 2016 BCCA 61
Counsel on a successful sentence appeal on a conviction for manslaughter
Education & Year of Call
- 2018-2019 Fulbright Scholarship Recipient
- 2018-2019 Law Foundation Scholarship
- 2013, called to the Bar of British Columbia
- 2011-2012, Judicial Law Clerk, British Columbia Supreme Court
- 2011, J.D., University of Victoria
- 2008, B.A. (Honours), Philosophy, Carleton University
Noted Publications
The Charter and Child Protection CLEBC Resource [forthcoming]
Case Comment: R v Tanya Lee Ellis University of Alberta Law Review, Vol. 61 Issue 2, March 2024
S. Runyon, Correctional Afterthought: Offences Against the Administration of Justice and Canada’s Persistent Savage Anxieties, (2020) 43:5 Man LJ 1 – 38
S. Runyon, Effectuating Change: A Tool Box of Strategies for Reducing the Unnecessary Use of Administrative Court Orders, (2020) 37 Windsor Y B Access Just. 117-131
Media
Sarah Runyon, Criminal Lawyer
Cell: 250-204-1699
Email: runyon@marionandcompany.ca
Postal address: 1260 Shoppers Row, Campbell River, BC V9W 2C8