You’ve Been Charged With a Crime. What Happens After You Call Your Toronto Criminal Lawyer?

You’ve been arrested. Whether it’s the result of a simple misunderstanding or a complicated set of extenuating circumstances, your first action is to call your Toronto criminal lawyer immediately. OB Law has stepped in to see that you’re treated fairly and protected from self-incrimination… so what happens next?

If you are charged with a crime, one of two things will happen: You will be either released from custody, or held for a bail hearing.

Being Released From Custody

When released from custody, you will be made to sign a “Promise to Appear” for your court date. This document is legally binding, and indicates your only chance to appeal your case, be it to explain extenuating circumstances or to enter a ‘not guilty’ plea.

In addition to a ‘Promise to Appear’, a defendant is often made to sign an ‘Understanding to an Officer in Charge’ as well. This document sets additional conditions to which the defendant must abide until the date of their trial, be it to reduce the risk of flight, to protect the safety of an individual involved, or to ensure the integrity of the trial. This can include a number of things, such as surrendering your passport, not communicating with key witnesses, keeping away from certain people or properties, surrendering any firearms, or abstaining from recreational drugs and alcohol.

When signing one of these understandings, it’s extremely important that a lawyer explain precisely what it means. After all, if you’re found in violation of an ‘understanding to an officer in charge’, you may find yourself facing additional criminal charges that could result in up to five years of jail time.

Being Held for a Bail Hearing

While rare in the case of more minor charges, bail hearings can be common if you are charged with certain ‘high-risk offenses’ such as assault, or if you’ve been found in breach of court orders. Bail hearings are involved enough to merit their own post, but it’s important to note that if you’re held, you have a right to a hearing within 24 hours of your arrest. Your Toronto criminal lawyer will be able to ensure that this right is upheld, while representing your interests at this hearing.

Don’t Take Chances. Call an OB Law Toronto Criminal Lawyer Today.

Facing charges is not a pleasant experience. Your OB Law criminal lawyer will help you through the arrest process, make sure that your rights are upheld, and do everything in our power to see that you are protected from warrantless and avoidable incrimination.

To book an appointment with a Toronto criminal lawyer, give us a call. If you have any questions about criminal law, or any other type of law, please feel free to submit a question through our Ask A Lawyer.

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