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Services
01. Criminal Law
Types of Offences
There are threem main types of offences in Canada. Summary, Indictable and Hybrid Offences.
Summary Offences are the least serious offences. You will not have a preliminary inquiry. A trial will be held before a Judge alone in the Provincial Court in the jurisdiction where the offences are committed. Duty Counsel can assist you with entering guilty plea and speak to sentence on your behalf. Student Legal Services can also assist you with running trial for these types of offences and or assist you with the entry of guilty plea and speak to sentence.
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Indictable Offences are the most serious offences with serious penalties if you are found guilty of the offences. Depending on the type of indictable offences that you are charged with, you may or may not have a right to a preliminary inquiry in the provincial court, trial in the provincial court, or a choice of trial in the Court of Queen's Bench before a Judge and Jury or a Judge alone. It is highly recommended that you retain a lawyer to assist you with these types of offences. Student Legal Services will not be able to assist you with indictable offences.
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Hybrid Offences are where the Crown Prosecutor has the option to choose whether he / she would proceed by way of the lesser summy offences or more seriously by indictable offences. This will affect where the trial will take place and the seriouness of the penalty. Often you will not find out how the Crown Prosecutor will elect to proceed until your first or second court appearance.
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Duty Counsel
Duty Counsel is available to assist you free of charge at the Court House to adjourn / set your matter over so that you can retain a lawyer to assist you, or to allow you to request and obtain disclosure package or to request and obtain early case resolution offer from the Crown Prosecutor. Duty Counsel is also available to assist you with the entry of guilty plea and speak to sentence once you decide to accept the Crown Prosecutor's Early Case Resolution Offer and plead guilty to the charges. Please make sure you arrive at the court house at least 30 minutes before the start of Court to speak with Duty Counsel as there will be many other people who will be in line up waiting to speak with him or her.
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Legal Aid of Alberta
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In Edmonton, Legal Aid Alberta has now set up office right in the Court House. So you can attend at their office at the Court House to apply for coverage so that a lawyer can be appointed for you. You can also apply for Legal Aid coverage via telephone toll free at 1.866.845.3425 from 8:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. on Monday to Friday. Their fax number is 1.866.382.7253​ in the event that you need to send them documents. Telephone application is their preferred method of applying for coverage. You can also attend at their office 10320 102 Avenue, Suite #300, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4A1 to apply for coverage. However, currently they do not accept in person application due to the Covid 19 Pandemic.
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For further information, please check Legal Aid of Alberta's web site: https://www.legalaid.ab.ca/Pages/default.aspx
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Student Legal Services
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If you do not qualify for coverage with Legal Aid Alberta, and you are charged with summary offences, you can contact Student Legal Services for assistance in obtaining your disclosure, appearing in court with you, requesting for Early Case Resolution Offer from the Crown Prosecutor, conducting trial for you and to assist you with entering guilty plea and speak to sentence. You can contact Student Legal Office to make appointment with them at (780) 425-3356 on Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. They have two offices, with the first located on the University of Alberta Campus at 11036 88th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, and the second location is downtown at #203, 9924 - 106 Street, Edmonton, Alberta.
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Adults and Youths
You can retain me as your lawyer through private retainer or through Legal Aid Alberta. I represent both adults and youths. I also represent clients in the Mental Health Court. I represent clients who are charged with the following type of criminal offences:
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Armed robbery and robbery
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Arson
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Assault
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Assault causing bodily harm
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Aggravated assault
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Breach of court order
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Break and Enter - residence and non-residence
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Child pornography - possession, distribution or production
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Drinking and driving offences - impaired driving and care and control of motor vehicle
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Drug related offences - possession of drugs and drug trafficking
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Fail to comply with conditions
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Fail to appear for court
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Fail to appear for finger printing
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Forcible confinement
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Forgery
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Fraud
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Identity theft, identity fraud
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Kidnapping
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Mischief
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Obstruction of Police - resisting arrest, giving false name, evading police
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Possesion of stolen property
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Possession of weapons for dangerous purpose
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Sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching
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Theft related offences - theft under $5,000.00 and theft over $5,000.00
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Theft of motor vehicle
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Unauthorized possession of firearms or restricted weapons
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