How Do I Get the Police to Destroy my Fingerprint Records?
When you are charged with a criminal offence you will also be fingerprinted at some point in time, whether it is while you are being held for a bail hearing or sometime after you have been released from the police station. The police have an absolute right to take your fingerprints if you have been […]
How Can I Get my Bail Conditions Changed?
How are Bail Conditions Changed? There are two ways you can attempt to get bail conditions changed. The best method to have your bail conditions changed is to obtain consent to a bail variation from an Assistant Crown Attorney pursuant to section 515.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The second way to change your […]
Avoiding a Criminal Record: Absolute and Conditional Discharges
If you are found guilty of a criminal offence there are a variety of sentences that could be imposed which would result in you receiving a criminal record. More specifically, any of the following sentences will result in a criminal record; suspended sentence, conditional sentence, jail sentence, or a fine. A criminal record can have […]
What Does it Mean to Act as a Surety?
This article is intended for both those individuals that have been asked to act as a Surety and those who are facing criminal charges. Agreeing to act as a Surety for someone is a serious decision and one that should not be made impulsively as a response to get someone out of jail. Before agreeing […]
It’s Only a Traffic Ticket, Do I Really Need a Lawyer?
Although traffic tickets are often considered less serious offences, particularly in relation to criminal charges, this shouldn’t impact your decision to retain a lawyer to represent you. Traffic offences are still dealt with in a court of law, before a Justice of the Peace and prosecuted by a city or provincial prosecutor. Before you decide […]
Getting Domestic Assault Charges Withdrawn: Don’t Count On It
Assault is a very common criminal charge that appears before our courts, particularly charges of assault relating to allegations of domestic abuse. Charges involving domestic assault are so common that some courts will even assign a particular day of the week where these matters are returnable in court or assign Assistant Crown Attorneys to deal […]
Complying with Bail and Probation Conditions: They’re Not Just Guidelines
Whether you or someone you know is on bail or subject to a probation order, it is important that you understand all of the conditions and that you fully and completely comply with these conditions. Failing to comply with either a term of bail or a probation order is a criminal offence and, if arrested, […]
Entering the United States with a Criminal Record
If you have a criminal record, no matter how long ago you received a conviction, it may prevent you from travelling or entering into other countries. The United States is our closest neighbour and a country where many Canadians visit on a regular basis; however there are some offences under the Criminal Code of Canada […]
Impaired Driving: You Don’t Need to be Driving to be Convicted
Impaired driving, or what is more commonly referred to as drinking and driving, is a very serious criminal offence that, if convicted, has significant legal, personal, and financial consequences. If you have been charged with impaired driving or over 80, it is important you contact a lawyer as soon as possible. When we think of […]
Questions You Should Ask Your Lawyer
I’m Stephen Jack and I am a criminal defence lawyer in Toronto. The primary purpose of my blog is to help educate you about the criminal justice system, what my role will be as your defence lawyer, and the numerous criminal offences found in the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drug and Substances […]