What should I do if I have been arrested or charged?
Ask to speak to a lawyer and then exercise your right to remain silent. Section 10(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives anyone arrested or detained the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay, and to be told of that right. Be polite, provide identification where required, and do not discuss the allegations with police, friends or on social media until you have advice.
What criminal charges do we defend?
- Assault and offences of violence
- Theft, robbery, fraud and other property offences
- Impaired driving and other Criminal Code driving offences
- Highway Traffic Act and other provincial offences
- Sexual offences
- Weapons and drug offences
- Breach of bail or probation conditions
- More serious charges, including homicide
Our licensed paralegal can also represent clients in many provincial offence matters, such as Highway Traffic Act tickets, within the scope the Law Society of Ontario allows.
What does a criminal lawyer do for me?
- Attends the police station and speaks with you while you are in custody
- Prepares and runs your bail hearing, including working with sureties
- Obtains and reviews the Crown’s disclosure — the evidence against you
- Investigates, gathers records and interviews witnesses
- Brings Charter applications and other pre-trial motions
- Negotiates with the Crown and, where appropriate, defends you at trial
What is disclosure, and why does it matter?
Since the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R. v. Stinchcombe (1991), the Crown must disclose all relevant information in its possession to the defence. Reviewing that disclosure carefully is the foundation of every defence: it shows how strong the case really is, and where the investigation may have gone wrong.
Last reviewed: October 3, 2026General information about Ontario law — not legal advice for your situation.