Process
Under Arrest?
If you have just been arrested, call me from the police station: I will answer your call to my cell phone at ANY HOUR of the day or night.
If our first contact is through a family member or friend, I note whatever details they tell me about your situation and then I call you at the police station.
In our conversation, I explain what's going to happen clearly and simply to reduce your anxiety and respond to your concerns.
From the police, I learn why you were arrested and their plans for your detention or release.
I try to arrange for your immediate release from the station. If not, I tell you what to expect the next day in court at your bail hearing.
Later, I arrange to meet with your family or friends early the next morning at court to prepare them for your bail hearing.
On that day, I first try to persuade the Crown Attorney to consent to your release without a bail hearing.
If a bail hearing is necessary, I conduct it skillfully and quickly to get you released ASAP.
After Your Release
After your release, we meet at my office (or elsewhere if you prefer) to discuss your case.
Usually I attend all future routine court appearances for you, so you don't miss work or school.
I get all the evidence ("disclosure") available in your case, and arrange for us to review it together.
After reviewing the disclosure with you, I meet with the Crown Attorney who may agree to drop all or some of your charges.
If the Crown won't drop all the charges, we discuss other ways to finish the case.
After my pre-trial meeting with the Crown, you and I discuss your best options.
If a trial is unavoidable, we discuss trial issues such as scheduling, defences, witnesses, location and mode of trial in Ontario Court of Justice or Superior Court, with judge alone or judge and jury.
Finally, we consider all possible trial outcomes so you can make a fully informed decision about your case.
At The Trial
Once a trial date is set, we begin our trial preparation.
I meet with all possible Defence Witnesses (and you) as often as necessary to ensure that everyone is fully prepared and ready to testify.
I review thoroughly the Crown's disclosure materials (including witness statements, documents, photographs, forensic reports, etc.) to fully absorb all the evidence, enabling me to confront it effectively at trial. I prepare my cross-examinations of Crown witnesses.
I research and study the applicable law and prepare legal arguments for any court applications and motions.
When the trial starts, I re-arrange all my other commitments to concentrate on your case alone.
Each morning before court starts, and each afternoon when court finishes, I meet with you and other witnesses for continuing preparation, so that you fully understand what has happened so far and what is likely to happen as the trial continues.
At the last stage of the trial, I make final preparations to deliver my closing argument.
After that, we wait to hear the verdict of the judge or jury.
If the decision is “not guilty”, then that ends the matter and your ordeal is over.
If you are found guilty of any offences, you and I will then make careful preparation for the punishment or sentencing stage of the proceedings to make sure you receive the most lenient result possible.