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Difference between revisions of "I've Been Charged with a Criminal (or Youth) Offence and Have to Go to Court"
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I've Been Charged with a Criminal (or Youth) Offence and Have to Go to Court (view source)
Revision as of 06:48, 30 December 2011
, 06:48, 30 December 2011→First steps
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# If you cannot afford a lawyer on your own, see if you qualify for legal aid representation. (See [[Legal Aid Representation|legal aid representation]] in the [[Resource List]] for information about applying for legal aid.) If you qualify, the Legal Services Society will appoint a lawyer to advise you and represent you in court. Note that you may not be able to apply for legal aid representation until you have attended your '''first appearance''' in court (see Step 4 below) and found out the Crown Counsel's '''initial sentencing position'''. | # If you cannot afford a lawyer on your own, see if you qualify for legal aid representation. (See [[Legal Aid Representation|legal aid representation]] in the [[Resource List]] for information about applying for legal aid.) If you qualify, the Legal Services Society will appoint a lawyer to advise you and represent you in court. Note that you may not be able to apply for legal aid representation until you have attended your '''first appearance''' in court (see Step 4 below) and found out the Crown Counsel's '''initial sentencing position'''. | ||
# Go to court on the date shown on your "'''promise to appear'''" or other police document. | # Go to court on the date shown on your "'''promise to appear'''" or other police document. | ||
# Get a copy of your "disclosure". This package will contain the details of the charges against you. It includes the '''circumstances''' (police report) from the Crown Counsel (prosecutor) and the '''information''' (charges) from the court clerk. Ask for an '''adjournment''' (delay) for 2 weeks or more so you can consult with a lawyer. If there is a '''duty counsel''' | # Get a copy of your "disclosure". This package will contain the details of the charges against you. It includes the '''circumstances''' (police report) from the Crown Counsel (prosecutor) and the '''information''' (charges) from the court clerk. Ask for an '''adjournment''' (delay) for 2 weeks or more so you can consult with a lawyer. If there is a '''duty counsel''' - a lawyer who helps people who don't have their own lawyer - at the courthouse, he or she can help you with this step. | ||
== What happens next == | == What happens next == | ||
