Goldis Found Guilty

On April 21, 2023, after spending one week in jail, John Goldi and Joan Goldi were brought to court for the completion of the contempt motion against them. Mr. Justice Corbett found them guilty. They were sentenced to one week imprisonment (time served), and ordered to transfer ownership in various internet domains to Mr. Sommer. They were also ordered to pay costs to Mr. Sommer, in an amount to be determined by the court. The written ruling will be published when available.

Goldis Arrested in Relation to Contempt Motion

On April 14, 2023, pursuant to arrest warrants issued by Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge Corbett, John and Joan Goldi were arrested and brought before the court. Following a brief hearing, the court ordered them held in custody until April 21, 2023, at which time they are to be brought before the court for the resumption of the ongoing contempt motion against them.

Court Delivers Final Judgment in Sommer v Goldi

 On June 27, 2022, Justice Corbett of the Ontario Superior Court delivered the court's final ruling in Sommer v Goldi. In the decision, which adds to the previous granting of a permanent injunction and the awarding of $41,600 in special damages, the court granted general damages, aggravated damages, punitive damages and costs. A copy of the decision is set out below. The contempt proceeding against the Goldis continues, with outstanding warrants for their arrest in effect.

Sommer Claims and Motion for Contempt Against John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd.

Sommer Claims and Motion for Contempt Against John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd.

UPDATED APRIL 5, 2022:

On October 1, 2021, the court granted partial judgment (see below) in favour of Jonathan Sommer for defamation, in the amount of $41,600.00. Judgment on the other various claims has also been granted, and the court is currently in the process of determining the quantum of damages to be awarded.

A hearing was held on December 3, 2021 for the closing arguments in the motion for contempt against John and Joan Goldi. The respondents were ordered to attend. They failed to do so but spoke with court staff, advising that they refused to attend. As a result, the court issued warrants for the arrest of John and Joan Goldi (see below) which are currently in force and outstanding.

Sommer Motion for Contempt Against John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd.

UPDATED AUGUST 12, 2020:

On August 20, 2019, Jonathan Sommer filed a motion in Toronto with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to have John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd. found guilty of contempt. The motion was heard during various court appearances between August 27, 2019 and March 6, 2020. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a return to court for closing arguments has been delayed to a date TBD. The court's March 6, 2020 endorsement reads as follows:

Ontario Superior Court of Justice

March 6, 2020

Sommer v Goldi and Goldi

ENDORSEMENT

Evidence completed in motion that the Goldis be held in contempt for breach of injunction order made by this court.

The Goldis have been in receipt of the injunction orders since August 27, 2019, at the latest: they were provided to them in court by Mr. Sommer at the court’s direction. There is evidence before me of continuing non-compliance – the Goldis would be well-advised to bring themselves into compliance with the injunction by the next return date. This is without prejudice to argument on whether the Goldis are in fact in compliance.

Case adjourned for argument on April 3/20. Also on April 3^rd the court will address the Goldis’ failure to attend the contempt hearing in October 2019, and will conduct a case management conference on the status of all outstanding litigation between Mr. Sommer and the Goldis.

The Goldis are ordered to appear before me on April 3, 2020 at 10:00 am.

[signed Mr. Justice D. L. Corbett]

See copy of Endorsement below:

Contempt Hearing to Proceed on October 18, 2019

On August 27, 2019, the plaintiff, Jonathan Sommer, and the defendants, John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd., attended court in Toronto for the purpose of scheduling and receiving directions in relation to the contempt motion brought by Jonathan Sommer against the defendants. The allegation in the contempt motion is that the defendants are in contempt of court as a result of them not complying with the injunction order shown below in this blog. This allegation has not been proven in court. The court has ordered the defendants to attend on October 18, 2019, to face this allegation. The court cautioned the defendants that a failure to attend will result in their arrest. The court's endorsement reads as follows:

Injunction Against John Goldi, Joan Goldi and Goldi Productions Ltd.

Following a motion for judgment by plaintiff Jonathan Sommer, in an action for defamation on the website themorrisseauhoaxexposedblog.com, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted judgment to the plaintiff, and made the following order on June 7, 2019:

______________________________________________________

Court file no.        CV-19-612453

The Honourable                                                                                             June 7, 2019

Mr. Justice Corbett                            ONTARIO

     SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE

b e t w e e n:

JONATHAN SOMMER

Plaintiff

and

JOHN WERNER GOLDI, JOAN CATHERINE GOLDI and GOLDI PRODUCTIONS LTD.

Defendants

ORDER

THIS MOTION, made by JONATHAN SOMMER for judgment, was heard in writing this day, at 393 University Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5G 1E6, pursuant to the Order of Mr. Justice Corbett dated March 4, 2019.

                       

ON READING the Motion Record of the moving party, no materials having been filed by the respondents, despite them having been properly served:

1.                  THIS COURT ORDERS that judgment be entered in favour of the moving party/plaintiff in this action, noting a finding of liability of the respondents/defendants to the plaintiff;

2.                  THIS COURT ORDERS an immediate and permanent injunction to issue against the respondents/defendants restraining them from disseminating, posting on the Internet or publishing, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any statements or comments about the moving party/plaintiff, Jonathan Sommer, and from otherwise communicating in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any disparaging statements about the moving party/plaintiff, Jonathan Sommer. This injunction shall include, without limitation, the publication, circulation and promotion of the website www.themorrisseauhoaxexposedblog.com and any similar or other publications. For further particularity, the respondents/defendants shall not publish or cause to be published or otherwise disseminate or distribute in any manner whatsoever, whether by way of the Internet or other medium, any statements or other communications which refer to Jonathan Sommer by name, depiction or description.

3.                  THIS COURT ORDERS an immediate mandatory injunction requiring the respondents/defendants to forthwith remove their blog postings from www.themorrisseauhoaxexposedblog.com titled “IN MEMORIAM – “Why We Fight…”” [October 6, 2018], “Sommer Suspended!!! – by the Law Society of Ontario” [August 24, 2018, and “Sommer’s Fired!!! And Retreats Back to Remote Sutton, QC…” [August 19, 2018] from the Internet, and any similar postings that refer to the plaintiff, directly or indirectly.

4.                  THIS COURT ORDERS an immediate mandatory injunction requiring the respondents/defendants to prominently post a copy of this Order and any further reasons for judgment in this action at the top of each page of the website www.themorrisseauhoaxexposedblog.com, and to maintain said posting thereupon for a minimum of 5 years.

5.                  THIS COURT ORDERS an immediate permanent injunction prohibiting the respondents/defendants from attending as audience in relation to any court appearances of the moving party/plaintiff, and from coming within 300 metres of the plaintiff except where necessary and appropriate in the context of this or other litigation, and from photographing the plaintiff.

A copy of the actual Order above is reproduced below.