What changed?
On June 1, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada posted a news release saying that written reasons in Matthew Berg v. His Majesty the King (SCC file 41980) will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. ET on Friday, June 5, 2026.
The Court had already heard the appeal on April 14, 2026 and dismissed it orally the same day, with reasons to follow. The June 1 notice is therefore an advance notice of the forthcoming reasons, not a new merits disposition.
What the appeal is about
The SCC notice describes the case as a Saskatchewan criminal appeal as of right. The questions listed by the Court concern criminal-law evidence, credibility assessment, and whether the trial judge erred in addressing alleged material inconsistencies in the complainant’s evidence or in assessing that evidence in light of the whole record.
The SCC case-information page records that the appeal was dismissed on April 14, 2026 and that the Court ordered the appellant to surrender into custody within 48 hours. The forthcoming reasons should explain the Court’s legal analysis.
Publication-ban caution
The SCC materials mark the matter as a case with a publication ban. This article deliberately uses only the public SCC case name, docket number, and high-level issue descriptions. It does not add identifying details about the complainant or repeat unnecessary facts from the underlying allegation.
Why it matters
Reasons in an appeal as of right can give trial courts and appellate courts guidance on how credibility issues and alleged inconsistencies should be handled in criminal sexual-assault prosecutions. Until the reasons are released, the safest summary is limited: the appeal has been dismissed, and the SCC has announced when the reasons will follow.
Sources
- Supreme Court of Canada news release: Reasons for Judgment to be Rendered on Appeal, June 1, 2026
- Supreme Court of Canada: R. v. Berg, oral judgment dated April 14, 2026
- SCC case information: file 41980, Matthew Berg v. His Majesty the King
- SCC news releases navigation by date
Caveats
This is a public-record research note, not legal advice. It summarizes only official SCC materials available at publication time and does not summarize the full trial record, the complete Court of Appeal reasons, or the reasons that the SCC says will be released on June 5, 2026. Publication bans and sealing orders must be respected; anyone reporting further on the case should check the current court orders and official reasons.