Articles and Resources about Criminal Law in Ottawa

02/28/2019

You can now face heftier penalties if convicted of distracted driving and/or careless driving.

02/28/2019

Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, is now law. The bill is a piece of government legislation that legalized access to recreational cannabis in Canada when it came into force on October 17, 2018.

03/08/2019

Sections 276 of the Criminal Code of Canada has been dubbed “rape shield law”. Essentially, it affords protections to complainants, with respect to adducing their prior sexual history as evidence in criminal proceedings. The idea is to protect alleged victims of sexual assault, while still preserving the rights of the accused.

03/08/2019

Did you know that being impaired in a canoe is a potential offence?
This comes as one of the many implications of the new laws on driving under the influence. Bill C-46, which came into force in December 2018, has essentially made prosecutions of these types of offences much easier.

15/10/2016

In Ontario, the police take domestic assault very seriously. Depending on the nature of the offence, domestic assault can be a serious charge. Furthermore, the law gives the Crown authority to pursue a case even if the alleged victim later wishes to drop the charges – the reasoning being that victims of domestic assault often feel pressured by their abuser to withdraw the charges.

01/11/2016

If you have been charged with domestic assault, it is important to speak to an Ontario criminal defence lawyer as soon as possible. As reported by the Globe and Mail, the Crown takes domestic assault cases very seriously. Individuals can find themselves thrown in jail and subject to prosecution before they even have a chance to really explain what happened.

15/11/2016

When it comes to parenting, there are a wide range of styles for everything from sleeping habits and food preparation to socialization and discipline. For many parents, spanking is an acceptable form of discipline when carried out a certain way. But what does the law say about spanking a child? Does spanking ever cross the line from acceptable discipline to abuse? What about teachers and caregivers?

01/12/2016

When most people hear the word “cybercrime,” they think of a shadowy, mysterious network of hackers who break into the computer networks of large corporations to steal money or valuable information. Last year, cybercrime made international news when hackers broke into the computer systems at Sony to steal emails and other data and uploaded a virus to the movie studio’s computers.

15/12/2016 

Being charged with a crime in your home province or elsewhere in the country can be intimidating and stressful. Being charged with a criminal offence abroad can add stress and frustration to what is already an emotionally traumatizing experience. One of the first questions people charged with a crime in the U.S. or elsewhere ask is whether they can be extradited from Canada to stand trial in another country.

02/01/2017 

When most people think about auto theft, they picture an individual hot-wiring a vehicle in a dark alley or a secluded driveway. According to a recent news report, however, auto theft can and does happen in broad daylight and in conspicuous areas. Furthermore, auto thieves have turned to modern technology to make theft more expedient.

16/01/2017

In recent years, new light has been shed on the link between mental health issues and criminal offences. Not only are individuals with mental health disorders more likely to be involved in the commission of a criminal offence – they are also more likely to be the victim of an offence. According to one psychotherapist, “mentally ill people are disproportionately victimized by violent crime” and “some types of severe mental illness increase the risk that a person will perpetuate a violent crime.”

02/02/2017 

Marijuana has long been an unsettled issue, both in Canada and in the United States. Now, the federal government has announced it will likely propose legislation in 2017 to decriminalise marijuana – something that could bring clarity to the law for everyone. Both the Health Minister and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have lent their support to the proposed legislation.

16/02/2017 

Sometimes, it’s easy for even just a drink or two to catch up with you. As you walk to your car, you realize it would be unsafe to drive. In this situation, you may decide to simply “sleep it off” in your car – a decision that’s definitely better than drinking and driving.

02/03/2017

Most people associate DUIs with motor vehicles. This makes sense, when you consider there were more than 90,000 impaired driving incidents in 2011 alone. What you may not realize is that you don’t have to be driving a car to get charged with a drunken driving offence. The drunken driving law applies to many other types of vehicles, including:

16/03/2017

If you spend time in urban areas, you have probably encountered panhandlers. The majority of panhandlers are not aggressive, but a select few can be quite forceful about asking for money. Understandably, many people get nervous when a panhandler acts aggressively toward them. If you have encountered a panhandler, you may have wondered whether it’s actually legal to engage in this activity.

02/04/2017

If you have ever driven on New Year’s Eve or St. Patrick’s Day, chances are you have seen a DUI checkpoint. You may have even seen one outside a large sporting event, a music concert, or a festival. Police officers set up DUI checkpoints in an effort to deter drunk driving, as well as to stop intoxicated drivers from continuing to drive on the road.

16/04/2017

An auto accident can leave anyone feeling disoriented, shaken up, and scared. What happens now? Many people worry about encountering the police. For some, they have never had to deal with the police before. In the moments immediately following an accident, some people panic. Their sense of self-preservation takes over, and they leave the scene without considering the consequences.

04/03/2018

Few things are more frightening for a parent than having your child be charged with a criminal offence. Despite common misconceptions, the Youth Criminal Justice Act is indeed a true criminal statute and a youth’s criminal record is not erased upon turning age 18. If your child has been charged with a crime, it is important to contact a criminal lawyer to protect his or her legal rights.

05/06/2018

One of the most frequent criminal charges in Canada is common assault. Statistics Canada data shows in 2013/2014 assault was the fourth most common offence in adult criminal courts, following only impaired driving, theft and failure to comply with an order. If you or someone you know has been charged with assault it is important to consider speaking with an experienced criminal lawyer.