Expelled Grad Students Sue University of Toronto and Ombuds

An appellate court in Ontario has allowed a lawsuit filed by a married couple expelled from the University of Toronto to proceed. The doctoral students allege that the university failed to accommodate their request for a leave of absence when they left the country to care for an ill relative in Iran. The suit seeks $80 million in damages and names several individual defendants including U of T's Ombudsman, Joan Foley.

In considering the students' request for an extension of time, the Court of Appeal for Toronto considered the merits of the case and decided that some of the allegations were legally sufficient. The court did not, however, consider any claims or legal issues regarding the Ombuds. The students now have the opportunity to amend and refile their appeal. (Mortazavi v. University of Toronto, 2013 ONCA 66 (January 30, 2013); National Post.)

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