Nov 21
What are the Impacts of a Second Impaired Driving Charge?
If your criminal record has a conviction for an alcohol or drug-related driving offence, and you are charged with another such offence, the consequences you face are more severe. If the Crown serves notice that they are seeking enhanced penalty, you face a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 days in custody (for your third offence, the mandatory minimum sentence would be 120 days).
Nov 21
Murder Bail
When you are charged with murder or another section 469 Criminal Code offence, you are deemed detained in custody until you bring a bail application in the Superior Court of Justice. The Application will set out the potential sureties and the bail plan that the Court will need to consider…
Nov 21
Why Should I Hire a Sexual Assault Lawyer?
All sexual assault offences are serious. You can be sentenced to jail, be subject to a s. 161 order which restricts your freedoms and you may have to register yourself on the Sex Offender Registry. Beyond the punishment you may receive from the criminal courts, the personal and professional impacts…
Nov 21
Should I Take a Plea Deal for an Impaired Driving Charge?
When you are charged with a criminal offence, a plea deal is sometimes a tempting offer. An early guilty plea offer for impaired driving charges can also be tempting since entering stream A will allow you to have your driver’s licence (you are eligible for stream A if you enter a guilty plea within 90 days of your arrest date).
Nov 21
What is a Preliminary Hearing?
A preliminary hearing is a hearing held by the court to determine if there is sufficient evidence for a case to go to trial. The test is whether there is sufficient evidence that a jury properly instructed could convict. The trial judge does not weigh the evidence, but considers whether the Crown’s case, at its highest, is sufficient for committal.
