criminal law
'Don't
panic'
Being arrested can rattle you but understanding the
process is the most important part of getting bail.
Y
By Marg. Bruineman
ou suddenly find yourself lost in a harried
courthouse, saddled with a criminal charge,
and you might even be in police custody. You're
scared, you're confused, and you're probably not
thinking clearly. What do you do?
Last year across the country, Canadian courts
made guilty findings in 214,825 cases, according to Statistics
Canada. In Ontario there were 75,545 criminal convictions,
12
including 10,944 for impaired driving, 4,095 for drug possession,
and 20,110 involving property crimes. Many of these people had
never been in a courtroom before.
"Don't panic," advises Toronto criminal lawyer Daniel
Brodsky. "Come up with a plan and know there are resources to
help. It's almost like a cliché, but it's true: arguably bail is the most
important step in the criminal justice process."
Ontario courts are terribly overburdened, resulting in delays.
