Calgary Criminal Defence Lawyers

Whether you’re facing serious criminal charges, under investigation by the police, or worried about the lifelong consequences of a conviction, our team of Calgary criminal defence lawyers are here to help you fight the charge.

We understand the fear, confusion, and uncertainty of being charged with a criminal offence.a

If you’re under investigation by the police, facing serious criminal charges, or worried about the lifelong consequences of a conviction, you need a law firm that understands your predicament and will immediately do everything possible to help you out of it.

Navigating the criminal justice system in Calgary is daunting enough without attempting it alone.

In the past two decades, we’ve represented over 10,000 defendants in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Lethbridge, the surrounding Rocky View County communities, and Southern Alberta during their most challenging and stressful times.

Handling cases at all levels of Court in Alberta and at the Supreme Court of Canada, we strive to prevent a negative impact on your freedom, career, and reputation:

• Our strategy is honed from a profound knowledge of criminal defence law.
• Our experience spans a combined +120 years of criminal defence work.
• Our results can be seen in thousands of successful cases.

The firm is led by senior criminal defence lawyer, Michael Oykhman, who has been recognized as a top-rated criminal defence lawyer for eight consecutive years by Three Best Rated®.

The Strategic Criminal Defence team has won numerous Consumer Choice awards, supported by over 700 Google reviews.

If you’ve just been arrested and charged, you will be taken to the Arrest Processing Unit (APU) at the Spyhill Services Centre at 12500 85 Street NW, Calgary, AB T3R 1A2 (Phone: 403-428-3400).

There, depending on the charge:

• You may be released on an undertaking by a police officer (meaning you must appear in court on the scheduled date).
• Otherwise, you will be detained and brought before a Justice of the Peace or a Judge within 24 hours for a bail hearing (s.503 of the Criminal Code).

Your family may not know where you are during this period and will receive no information if they call the Spyhill Services Centre. As your lawyers, we can contact your family and let them know what’s happening.

Securing Your Release at the Bail Hearing

In Calgary, first-appearance bail hearings are held via video link from the APU to the Court of Justice Hearing Office at the Calgary Courts Centre (601 5 St SW).

Your Strategic Criminal Defence lawyer will immediately:

• Call in to the Spyhill Services Centre in Calgary and speak to you.
• Contact the Prosecutor assigned to the bail hearing to start negotiating your release.
• Order and secure a copy of the police information package that details the allegations against you in advance of the bail hearing.
• Represent you at the bail hearing to secure your release.

Bail conditions will apply as you wait for your case to progress through the court system, but we fight for the least restrictive conditions allowable.

For more information on bail hearings and conditions, visit The Bail Hearing Process in Calgary.

Calgary’s Criminal Courts

The City of Calgary serves as the central judicial point for the Calgary Metropolitan Region, including surrounding communities such as Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, and Okotoks.

Your case will likely be held at the Calgary Courts Centre, located at 601 5 St SW, Calgary, AB T2P 5P7, which is a landmark building housing both the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of King’s Bench.

The building itself is imposing and provides a streamlined, high-security environment for all levels of criminal proceedings, from bail hearings to complex trials.

It houses dedicated specialty courts, including Domestic Violence Court, Drug Treatment Court, and Mental Health Court, with advanced digital evidence presentation systems.

Our large team of criminal defence lawyers is conveniently located in Calgary, with easy access to the courts from our downtown office, allowing timely and effective representation for your criminal case.

From our Calgary offices (available 24/7 for emergency legal assistance), we focus on criminal matters throughout Southern Alberta, mainly south of Red Deer and north of Lethbridge. This includes Airdrie, Okotoks, High River, Olds, and Innisfail.

We serve many other locations in Alberta, including:

• Edmonton: For local prosecution and court procedures in the Edmonton area.
• Lethbridge: For matters within the Lethbridge court circuit and surrounding rural municipalities.
• Red Deer: Served by both the Calgary and Edmonton offices, depending on which team is better positioned for a specific court date or specialty.