Criminal Defence Law

Featured Articles

Edward Prutschi LL.B.
The Protocols Of Appearing In Court

“What do I call the judge?” is a common question. If the judge asks you a question and you want to respond or if you have a question to ask him or her, the best choice is to say “Your Honor.” There are some exceptions. If you happen to be a witness at a bail proceeding, then you will likely be before a Justice of the Peace who is known as “Your... [Read this article]

Bruce Engel LL.B.
The Implications Of Pleading Guilty

People may think that pleading guilty will simply speed up the sentencing process. I often tell people that if they are going to plead guilty, they need a lawyer just as much as they would if they were going to fight the charge, because if you plead guilty, there are some important factors that need to be considered. First of all, what exactly are... [Read this article]

Mitch Engel LL.B.
What Happens When A Young Person Has Been Apprehended For Shoplifting

The scenario when a young person is caught shoplifting is the same as it is for anyone, with one difference. The person will be apprehended, and the police will be called to lay the charge. The difference is that the parents will also be notified, as required by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. This legislation used to be called the Young Offender’s... [Read this article]

Dennis J. Reeve LL.B.
The Benefits Of The Youth Criminal Justice Act

The Youth Criminal Justice Act has decreased the level of youth incarceration because it is no longer a required consequence for many cases in which incarceration was previously imposed. There is a very clear change in direction as well with respect to criminal justice and social values. Previously, you might have a situation where a young person came... [Read this article]

Paul Moreau LL.B.
How The Police Determine That A Person Has Been Driving While Impaired

When the police are looking out for impaired drivers (and they are always on the look out for impaired drivers), they watch for vehicles displaying a driving pattern that is out of the ordinary. They look for a driver who is weaving between the lines, changing lanes without signals, turning without proper signals or just generally driving in a way that... [Read this article]

Kevin Filkow LL.B.
Advice For Clients Who Face Impaired Driving Charges

The first step in dealing with an impaired driving charge is to ensure that the client understands all the paperwork they have been given. Because there are often a few things to deal with when someone is charged with impaired driving, when I first meet a client I discuss how we will go about dealing with all matters related to their case. Does the... [Read this article]