LawFuel Contributor
Criminal offences in Canada are classified as indictable, summary, or hybrid. If you face a summary conviction charge, you may not have to appear for a trial. Your defence lawyer can handle everything on your behalf. However, the judge may still order your presence. Individuals typically face up to two years in jail for these offences and a fine. However, indictable offences are serious, leading to arrests and requiring the offender’s presence during court proceedings. As such, these types of convictions would entail hefty penalties. Hybrid offences generally fall under the category of indictable crimes, but the final decision rests with the Crown.
What should you do if you suspect you will be charged with an indictable crime? It can adversely affect your family’s reputation and your future. Approach criminal law practitioners Brampton for advice. They can guide you end-to-end. Before this, here are some insights into indictable offences to help you stay alert and cautious.
Types of indictable criminal offences
Sexual assault, rape, robbery, murder, financial crimes, and others fall within the purview of indictable criminal offences. You may have to face huge fines and prolonged jail for any of these crimes. If guilty, you will end up having a permanent criminal record. Because of the nature of these crimes, you may also need to protect yourself from unpleasant prosecution behaviours. It requires exercising the right to a trial by a judge.
Only an expert criminal defence attorney can respectfully represent your case in Brampton, saving you from enormous penalties. Typically, first-degree and second-degree murders, as well as treason cases, entail a minimum life sentence in prison. Offences such as manslaughter, trafficking, sexual assault, attempted murder, robbery, and others can lead to a maximum life sentence.
Defence against Indictable Criminal Offences
You are not guilty unless there is enough evidence and elements that prove your crime. Proper investigation and other factors play a huge role in this. Nevertheless, expert Brampton criminal defence specialists know how to defend you at different stages of a criminal prosecution; they can question the hidden motivations behind a police investigation, the techniques used by officials for evidence collection and eyewitness testimonies, the arrest method, and the statements of a defendant obtained during interrogation, among others.
You can expect them to cross-examine key witnesses, police officers, and other links that can compel the jury or judge to reassess the authenticity of the evidence. It can create reasonable doubt in their minds and lead them to consider that you could be innocent.
Some people accept conviction as their fate. They don’t realize that their criminal records can continue to bother them and their families for many years. They can lose employment, social status, and the opportunity to relocate to another country.
Please don’t make this mistake. Legal advisors are there to assist you. During interrogation, you can choose not to speak without meeting your lawyer, who must be familiar with Brampton’s judicial system. You can rely on them to help you navigate even the most challenging chapter of your life. So, contact the right lawyer or law firm for guidance.
Source: Mitch Engel Barrister & Solicitor, Brampton, ON
