You should hire a lawyer you are facing charges or have been charged with a criminal or narcotics offence. If you are facing charges but have not been formally charged or arrested, it is possible that a lawyer, in some circumstances, can prevent you from being charged. In addition, a lawyer can often discuss and negotiate your release when you are formally charged and arrested. A lawyer can also provide advice about exercising your right to silence, being interrogated, and the trial procedure.

If you have been arrested and charged with an offence, a lawyer can speak to your release in a bail hearing and analyze the Crown case and devise a strategy at the earliest stage of your case.

Contact Rod Gregory

The police may try to question you to gain information or a confession before you are charged. You may be a suspect in an investigation. If you are a suspect in an investigation, are being detained in an investigation, you should speak to a lawyer. If you are a suspect in an investigation and police are gathering evidence, anything you say to the police could be admissible in evidence. Therefore, you must exercise your right to silence and contact counsel. If you are detained in an investigation, the police must provide you with access to free legal advice. You should exercise that right and speak to a lawyer. Remember, you have the right to silence and subject to some narrow exceptions, are under no obligation to answer questions.

Contact Rod Gregory

If you have been arrested, you should exercise your right to silence and not provide a statement to the police before you speak to a lawyer. If the police have grounds to make a breath demand with a roadside screening device or a breath instrument, you will be charged unless you comply with the demand. This is an exception to the general rule that you are not under an obligation to provide evidence to the police. You may have to provide your name & identify yourself but if you have been placed under arrest you should exercise your right to silence and your right to contact a lawyer.

You should exercise your right to silence when you have been arrested.

Contact Rod Gregory

The first step for a lawyer in a criminal prosecution is to ensure that the client is released from custody. A person charged with a criminal offence may be released on a promise to appear or a recognizance. The police may choose to detain a person in custody and have them appear before a Justice of the Peace. The Crown may consent to a person’s release but may request the Justice of the Peace to impose a cash bail or conditions, for example, a no contact provision, house arrest or other conditions in relation to the offence.

However, the Crown may seek that the person be detained. A person charge should retain a lawyer to speak to release to judicial interim release (bail).

You should hire a lawyer before the bail hearing so you have representation and the lawyer can secure release for you, your friend or your family member. A lawyer can make representations to the Crown prosecutor and often can negotiate and agree on terms of release.

Contact Rod Gregory

Once you have been charged with a criminal or narcotics offence, you are entitled to disclosure. Disclosure is the Crown prosecutor’s case. You are entitled to police reports, notes, civilian witness statements, (maybe audio or video), photographs and all evidence in the possession of the prosecutor that is relevant to the prosecution.

You can review the disclosure with your lawyer to assess the case to be presented by the Crown prosecutor.

Contact Rod Gregory

If you have been found guilty or pled guilty to a criminal offence, you will be sentenced by the court. The sentence imposed could be a discharge (no criminal record), probation, a fine, or imprisonment.

The consequences of a conviction can be serious: a criminal record, difficulties travelling and the loss of liberty.

It is critical to have legal representation throughout a criminal prosecution.

Contact Rod Gregory