Violent Offences
Charges Diverted
Case Number: 3260026
Our client was arrested following a 911 call from a caller who claimed that they heard a person screaming in a nearby house for almost 40 minutes. The police attended the residence and found that the screaming came from our client, who had just been accidentally sprayed with bear spray. The police assisted our client, and after calming down our client said he was ready to go to bed. Before he left the room, one officer insisted that the contacts that our client was wearing should come out, so that our client could avoid any risk of infection from the bear spray. Our client reacted violently to the police’s suggestion, began arguing with the police and ultimately threatened to kill one of the cops. It is further alleged that he also lunged at the officer, tried to grab the officer’s throat, and began to strike the officer. Our client was then arrested and charged with assaulting a peace officer.
After reviewing all of the evidence against our client, we had a meeting with our client where we discussed his personal circumstances and learned more about the circumstances surrounding the offence. We learned that at the time of the offence that he was suffering from some mental health issues. We then took this information to the Crown Prosecutor, and we were successful in advocating for our client’s placement in mental health diversion. Once our client had completed his program, all charges against him were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Mental Health Diversion, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 551943
Our client was charged with Assaulting a Peace Officer after he got into an altercation with an officer at a hospital. While in the hospital our client caused a disturbance by screaming at hospital staff while waiting in triage. Peace officers were called to the scene to assist with removing our client. As our client was being escorted out of the hospital, he screamed at the peace officer and attempted to verbally provoke him. Our client then struck the officer in the face with a closed fist, and was arrested and charged with Assaulting a Peace Officer. The entire incident was also caught on CCTV.
Once we were retained, we reviewed disclosure and immediately directed our client to begin attending counselling and to obtain other psychological assessments. After we received proof of his counselling and his assessments, we began negotiating with the Crown on his behalf. On the basis of our advocacy we were able to successfully divert our client into the Alternative Measures Program, a very rare resolution for such a serious offence. Once our client successfully completed the program, the substantive charges against him were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Alternative Measures Program, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762209
Our client was arrested for assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon after he walked into a retail operation with a 11 to 12 inch hunting knife sheathed at his side. Upon entering the business, he began yelling at employees and threatened to kill one of them while holding the hilt of his knife. The police were called and he then fled the scene. The police located our client in his vehicle shortly thereafter, and had to remove him from his vehicle at gunpoint.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and found out that our client suffered from mental health issues that likely contributed to the incident. We sought out proof of his medical condition and identified all weaknesses in the evidence against our client. We then scheduled a meeting with the Crown Prosecutor to negotiate a resolution on our client’s behalf. We were able to successfully persuade the Crown to accept our client’s placement in the Mental Health Diversion Program despite the very serious nature of the charges. After his successful completion of the program, all charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Outcome: Mental Health Diversion, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 761988
Our client was charged with Criminal Harassment after he had sent hundreds of texts messages to a high school acquaintance, and an equally large number of messages to her over social media. The messages were not only voluminous, but were disturbing in content. The complainant had asked our client to stop sending her messages on multiple occasions, and had tried blocking our client, yet he persisted in attempting to communicate with the complainant.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and began negotiating with the Crown. Due to the strength of evidence against our client, the Crown initially wanted a guilty plea to the offence in order for a mitigated sentence. However, on the basis of our advocacy we were able to divert our client into the Mental Health Diversion Program. Upon his successful completion of the program, the charges against him were withdrawn.
Successful Outcome: Mental Health Diversion, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 531453
It was alleged that our client attacked another individual in his alley as he was pulling up to his home. The complainant reported that after he stepped out of his vehicle, that our client approached him, began to push and hit him, and wrestled him to the ground. While on the ground, our client held the complainant down while a second individual kicked the complainant. When the police arrived on scene they found that our client had fled, and had left the complainant suffering from multiple abrasions and bruising to his face and nose area.
After our client was charged with assault, we ordered and reviewed all disclosure. We found multiple weaknesses in the Crown’s case, and were able to leverage these weaknesses to obtain a favorable resolution. As our client did not wish to go to trial, we were able to convince the Crown to divert him into the Alternative Measures program. Once our client completed the program, the charges against him were dropped.
Successful Outcome: Alternative Measures, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Charges Stayed or Withdrawn
Case Number: 62660009
Our client was charged with criminal harassment after incessantly calling his ex-girlfriend for several days following their break up, and for trying to force his way into her house when he was neither expected nor wanted there. After our client turned up at her house, our client’s ex-girlfriend called the police, and reported that our client had recently grabbed her and pushed her to the ground causing injuries to her knees.
Upon being retained, we reviewed our client’s disclosure and found a number of weaknesses and inconsistencies in the complainant’s testimony. We then sought out records of the communication between our client and his ex-girlfriend, and were able to obtain significant exculpatory evidence for our client. We were able to use this information to persuade the Crown Prosecutor to withdraw the charges against our client prior to trial, and as a result our client was able to completely avoid a criminal record.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 5518551
Our client was charged with assault causing bodily harm after he got into an altercation with his wife while helping their daughter move. At one point, our client lost his temper and pushed his wife down the stairs. She fell and smashed her head into the tile floor. The impact of the force was so great that it created a large welt and a laceration which began to bleed significantly. EMS and the police were called to the scene, and our client was arrested.
Upon being retained we ordered and reviewed our client’s disclosure. Due to the nature of our client’s work for a prominent company in Calgary, and due to the fact that his wife had alleged that she had suffered a long history of abuse from her husband, we had to proceed very strategically to ensure our client did not get a criminal record. We immediately directed our client to enroll in counselling to address his anger management issues and sought out very strong exculpatory evidence for our client. We used the information we had gathered to then begin negotiating with the Crown Prosecutor. On the basis of our advocacy the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 2250072
Our client was charged with assault after she got into a violent altercation with her ex-boyfriend in a common area of the apartment complex they both lived in. They encountered one and other in the common area, and began to argue about their past relationship. Our client followed her ex-boyfriend to his apartment, and tried to enter his home despite his requests that she leave. When she tried to enter his home, he blocked her. Our client then slapped him in the face and scratched him on his arm deep enough to draw blood. Her ex-boyfriend then called the police who came and arrested our client for assault.
Upon being retained, we immediately identified all weaknesses in the case against our client and assisted her with enrolling in a comprehensive anger management course. Once our client had completed counselling we continued resolution discussions with the Crown Prosecutor. We were ultimately able to persuade her to stay the charges against our client, and our client was able to avoid a criminal record.
Successful Result: Charges Stayed, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 351895
Our client was arguing with his girlfriend outside of a hotel in Calgary. As the argument escalated two witnesses watched our client punch his girlfriend in the face, causing his girlfriend to fall to the ground. The police arrived and found our client who immediately admitted to striking his girlfriend in the face. His girlfriend was also found on scene, and her face showed redness and swelling where she was struck by our client. Our client was then arrested and charged with Assault.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered and reviewed all disclosure. We also immediately directed our client to enrol in anger management counselling, and began to seek out any exculpatory evidence that would assist our case. We then brought proof of our client’s counselling as well as the evidence that we had gathered to negotiations with the Crown Prosecutor. As a result of our efforts the charges against our client were stayed.
Successful Result: Charges Stayed, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 761988
Our client was charged with Criminal Harassment after he had sent hundreds of texts messages to a high school acquaintance, and an equally large number of messages to her over social media. The messages were not only voluminous, but were disturbing in content. The complainant had asked our client to stop sending her messages on multiple occasions, and had tried blocking our client, yet he persisted in attempting to communicate with the complainant.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and began negotiating with the Crown. Due to the strength of evidence against our client, the Crown initially wanted a guilty plea to the offence in order for a mitigated sentence. However, on the basis of our advocacy we were able to divert our client into the Mental Health Diversion Program. Upon his successful completion of the program, the charges against him were withdrawn.
Successful Outcome: Mental Health Diversion, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 7619881
Our client was charged with Criminal Harassment after sending hundreds of unwanted texts and emails to an acquaintance. The acquaintance did nothing to provoke our client, and was also extremely disturbed by the amount and the content of the messages. She contacted the police to bring a stop to the flood of messages, and our client was arrested and charged.
Upon being retained we sought disclosure and identified any weaknesses we could find in the case against our client. We directed our client to immediately enroll in counselling and began negotiating with the Crown Prosecutor. We were able to successfully resolve the matter by diverting our client into the Mental Health Diversion Program. Upon his successful completion of the program the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Airdrie Provincial Court
Case Number: 7620521
Our client was charged with assault against his ex-wife. He was also served with an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) that contained several serious allegations. Once we were retained we immediately sought disclosure and began resolution discussions with the Crown. We found several extreme discrepancies between the allegations in the EPO and what the complainant told police. We used this to challenge the complainant’s credibility, and the assault charge was withdrawn weeks after our client’s first court appearance.
Successful Result: No Criminal Record, Charge Withdrawn
Case Number: 762034
Our client was arrested and charged with Assault after it was alleged that he had violently beat his common law partner. The complainant alleged that they were drinking alcohol and got into an argument which quickly became physical. The complainant also alleged that our client struck him repeatedly with a closed fist on the head and in the face, resulting in swelling and bruising.
Upon being retained we immediately sought to vary our client’s bail conditions so that our client was able to have exclusive access to his residence and return to his home. We then directed our client to begin a comprehensive counselling program while we developped his defences and negotiated with the Crown Prosecutor. We were subsequently able to use proof of our client’s counselling and the strength of our defences to persuade the Crown to withdraw the charges against our client prior to trial.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 751926
Our client was charged with Domestic Assault after he had gotten into a heated argument with several members of his family. The incident began when he started arguing with his wife, who he felt was not properly caring for the children. His son intervened in the argument from fear that our client would hurt his mother. Our client and his son began to argue and wrestle, and our client struck his son in the head with a closed fist causing bruising and swelling.
Upon being retained we ordered and reviewed all disclosure. We immediately sought to have the conditions of our client’s bail varied so that he could return to his home. We then directed him to highly effective counselling services that would help him learn how to better manage his anger. We subsequently began resolution discussions with the Crown, and using our strong advocacy skills we were able to convince the Crown to withdraw the charges against our client prior to trial.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 5362243
Our client was arrested for domestic assault after his girlfriend called 911 crying and alleging that her boyfriend was pushing her around. While she was on the phone the line was disconnected and the police were dispatched to her house. Upon arriving they were told that our client had pushed the complainant against a wall, and that he put his hands around her neck. Our client’s girlfriend also told the police that she was afraid of our client because he had a shotgun in his car.
Following our client’s charge for domestic assault, we quickly brought his matter before the court to have his bail conditions varied so that he could go back home. We then began resolution discussions with the Crown prosecutor. We pointed out serious weaknesses in the case against our client, and we were able to persuade the Crown to withdraw the charges if our client completed a counseling program. Once we forwarded proof of counseling to the Crown, the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 55672283
Our client was charged with domestic assault after a violent altercation between himself and his son. It was alleged that while our client was driving his son home, the two got into an argument. As the argument got heated, our client pulled his vehicle to the side of the road and assaulted his son by grabbing him by the throat and by slapping him in the face. After his son arrived home, he called the police and our client was arrested for domestic assault.
Upon being retained we ordered and reviewed our client’s disclosure, and found that there were several weaknesses in the Crown prosecutor’s case. We proceeded to discuss the matter with the Crown, and we were able to convince them to withdraw the charges against our client upon proof that he had completed a counseling program.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 531473
Our client was arrested and charged with domestic assault after he had gotten into a heated argument with his wife that became physical. It was alleged that our client was fighting with his wife, and that in his rage he shook the complainant and began shoving her inside of their home in front of their two small children. At the time of the assault, the complainant was also 7 months pregnant.
Upon being retained, we immediately ordered disclosure and found some weaknesses in the case against our client. While the evidence against our client was very strong, and while the circumstances of his offence were very aggravating, we were still able to persuade the Crown to withdraw the charges once our client completed counseling. Upon providing proof of our client’s counseling, the charges against him were dropped.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 741737
Our client was charged with Domestic assault and Mischief after he got into a heated altercation with his girlfriend. He had chased her as she ran from the house, and when he caught up with her he took her phone and stepped on it. He then grabbed her, pushed her, and kneed her in the stomach. His girlfriend at the time was 15 weeks pregnant, and the entire incident was witnessed by their neighbour. The witness called the police who then attended the scene and arrested our client.
Upon being retained we ordered disclosure and began looking for weaknesses in the case against our client. We also assisted our client with identifying and enrolling in counselling programs that would help him manage his anger, and sought out strong reference letters from his employer and acquaintances. We forwarded this information to the Crown Prosecutor and began resolution discussions with the Crown where we pointed out the strength of our anticipated defences. As a result of our efforts, the charges against our client were stayed.
Successful Result: Charges Stayed, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 55572277
Our client was charged with two counts of domestic assault after getting into a serious altercation with his spouse. On the date of the offence, the couple began to fight and our client was told to leave the house. Before leaving, the fight escalated to the point that our client struck his spouse once in the jaw, and once in the nose, causing bruising, swelling and bleeding. After being struck, his wife managed to escape from the house and fled to a neighbour’s home where she called the police. Upon arriving, the police arrested our client and found that he had recently been released for committing a previous domestic assault. After the police discovered this, our client was further charged for breaching the terms of his release.
Upon being retained we immediately learned that our client had a lengthy criminal record, and that he would likely be facing a very serious penalty in the event of conviction. We did a detailed review of our client’s disclosure, and were able to find a detrimental weakness in the case against our client. We used this information in subsequent negotiations with the Crown Prosecutor to persuade them to stay all charges against our client prior to trial.
Successful Result: Charges Stayed, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762085
Over the course of two days it is alleged that our client was involved in multiple, heated confrontations with his partner. One night, it is alleged that our client threatened to murder his partner, and hang her body outside. In the middle of one of their confrontations, it is also alleged that struck his child in the face, knocking his child to the ground.
Upon being retained, we immediately ordered and reviewed disclosure. We advised our client to immediately pursue counseling, and obtained glowing character references for our client. We used these materials and the anticipated strength of our defence to effectively persuade the Crown Prosecutor to withdraw the charges against our client prior to trial.
Successful Outcome: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 731528
Our client was charged with two counts of uttering threats after he called his ex-girlfriend and threatened her life and her property. The couple had recently broken up and our client found the complainant’s picture on a dating site. He began texting her angrily, asking her why she was on the site, then proceeded to call her and demanded to meet her. She refused to meet him multiple times, and our client threatened to destroy her car and show up at her work if she did not meet him. She declined him again, and our client then stated that he would come over and shoot her in the head. The complainant reasonably feared for her life as she knew our client had recently purchased guns. She then called the police who located and arrested our client.
Upon being retained, we immediately conducted a detailed review of our client’s disclosure at found a number of inconsistencies and detrimental weaknesses in the case against him. We then set up a resolution meeting where we used the holes in the Crown Prosecutor’s case to persuade them to withdraw the charges if our client completed a reasonable amount of counselling. Once we obtained proof of our client’s counselling, we forwarded it to the Crown who then withdrew all charges against our client.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Discharges
Case Number: 751873
Our client was charged with Aggravated Assault after he got into a heated argument with his partner. The argument escalated and our client pulled his partner to the ground, put his full weight on her, and continued to slap and kick her. His partner was transported to the hospital where it was reported that her liver was bleeding due to the assault in addition to other more minor injuries.
Upon retaining us we immediately reviewed disclosure and assisted our client with developing a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan. We ordered psychiatric reports and pre-sentence reports, and identified all weaknesses and inconsistencies in the Crown Prosecutor’s case. Despite the fact that the Crown was initially seeking jail time, due to the strength of our anticipated defence, we were able to successfully persuade them to join us in an application for an 18 month conditional discharge instead.
Successful Outcome: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 551924
The police were dispatched to a 911 call for a domestic disturbance. Upon arriving, the complainant reported that she was woken up by our client who was highly intoxicated and agitated. She alleged that they began to argue, and that during the argument that he pinned her down and tried to choke her. As the struggle continued, she said that her nose ring was ripped out of her head, that our client had pulled her hair, and that he had struck her in the face. The entire incident had also unfolded in front of her children. Upon arriving, the police found that our client was already under probationary terms for a recent and previous assault.
Once we were retained, we ordered and reviewed disclosure, and identified some potential defences for our client. We then conducted an in depth interview with our client to learn about his background and to learn more about the circumstances of the offence. We were then able to use this information in an application for a discharge. Notwithstanding the fact that our client already had a lengthy criminal record, and despite the fact that he was on probation for another assault, we were able to successfully obtain a conditional discharge. As a result, our client was able to avoid receiving another criminal conviction for this offence.
Successful Result: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Conviction
Case Number: 54362171
Our client was arrested and charged with assault after he got into a roadside altercation with another driver. Our client was speeding down the highway when another vehicle pulled in front of him so as to slow him down and prevent him from passing. Our client followed that vehicle when it turned off the highway, then quickly pulled in front of it and stopped so that the driver of the other vehicle was also forced to stop. Our client then exited his vehicle, and walked over to the other driver screaming at him for slowing him down on the highway. The other driver exited his vehicle and the men began to fight. During the fight, our client was caught on a cell phone video recording punching the other driver repeatedly in the head.
Upon being retained we immediately reviewed disclosure and directed our client to enroll in anger management counselling, and further directed him to take a defensive driving course. We also obtained a letter from his doctor outlining psychological and medical issues that may have contributed to the offence. We then forwarded this information to the Crown, and used it along evidentiary weaknesses in the case against our client to advocate for a joint application for a conditional discharge. With the Crown’s support, our application before the court was successful and our client was able to avoid a criminal record.
Successful Result: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 2250016
Our client was arrested for assault after he and his girlfriend had gotten into a vicious altercation after leaving a bar. They began arguing and his girlfriend slapped our client in the face after he made a remark she did not like. Witnesses then saw our client then lose his temper, push his girlfriend to the ground, and kick her in the face. She then ran to a nearby store and called the police. She was covered in blood and had to be transported to the hospital as it was believed she may have broken her nose. The police quickly found and arrested our client for Assault.
Upon being retained we ordered disclosure and immediately directed our client to begin a comprehensive anger management counselling. We also sought out excellent character references for our client and obtained letters of employment. We then used these documents to support our submissions in favor of granting our client a conditional discharge. We were successful in our application, and as a result our client was able to avoid a criminal conviction.
Successful Result: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 551932
Our client broke into his cousin’s house while his cousin, the victim, briefly stepped out of the house. His cousin returned to find our client standing in the house holding what may have been a flare gun and a small black gun. Our client demanded that his cousin give him money, and upon being declined and told to leave, shot his cousin with the flare gun in the chest, causing bleeding and swelling. Our client then fled, but was quickly apprehended by the police and charged with breaking and entering, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, and assault causing bodily harm.
Upon being retained we immediately helped our client develop an aggressive counseling plan, obtained glowing letters of reference speaking to our client’s character. We also sought out an expert medical report which outlined psychological factors that contributed to the offence, and which indicated that our client had a low risk for reoffending. Once we had obtained all of these documents we began negotiations with the Crown Prosecutor who agreed to join us in an application for a conditional discharge. We were successful in our application, and despite the very serious nature and number of charges, our client did not receive a criminal record.
Successful Result: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 541745
Our client was charged with criminal harassment after he incessantly tried to communicate with his ex-wife to the point that she became reasonably afraid for her own safety. The couple had divorced the year prior, after a violent incident where our client had assaulted both his ex-wife and her mother. After their separation, our client began sending his ex-wife countless emails and called her constantly. His ex-wife explicitly told him that she no longer wanted any contact with him and asked him to stop. Despite her request, he persisted with the emails and called her cell phone over fifty times, leaving threatening messages suggesting that he would kill her. Because at the time our client was an alcoholic who could easily become violent when intoxicated, his ex-wife became very afraid of what he might do and called the police.
The police quickly located and arrested our client for harassment. Upon being retained we met with our client and reviewed the couple’s history in detail, which allowed us to find exculpatory evidence to the allegations against our client. After thoroughly reviewing the disclosure and finding further weaknesses in the case against our client, we set an early case resolution meeting with the Crown Prosecutor. We were able to persuade the Crown to join us in a successful application for a conditional discharge, and as a result our client was able to avoid a criminal record.
Successful Result: Conditional Discharge, No Criminal Record
Charges Resolved with a Peace Bond
Case Number: 751858
Our client was charged with assault with a weapon after she and her husband got into an argument that began over an upcoming hockey game. The argument escalated to the point where our client picked up a steak knife and began lunging at her husband. She managed to cut him four times in the face before the police were called.
Upon being retained we conducted a thorough review of our client’s disclosure and immediately directed our client to enroll in anger management counselling. We used the weaknesses in our client’s case when negotiating with the Crown Prosecutor to persuade them to join us in an application for a common law peace bond. On the basis of our advocacy, our application was successful and the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Common Law Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762098
Our client was charged for assaulting his wife with a weapon after a verbal argument between the couple became heated and escalated to violence. At one point during the argument, our client picked up the TV remote control and violently threw it at his wife’s face causing bruising. His wife then called the police who attended the scene and arrested our client.
Upon being retained we assisted our client in adjusting the conditions of an emergency protection order that had been put in place after the offence. We also assisted our client in developing a counselling and treatment plan to assist him with his anger management, as well as a substance abuse problems he was struggling with at the time. We then were able to successfully resolve the matter by way of a peace bond, and as a result all of the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 700251
Our client was charged with domestic assault after getting into a verbal altercation with his ex-girlfriend at a bar. It was alleged that at the bar he pushed her in front of several witnesses and caused her to strike her head on a table as she fell. The entire event and was also captured by CCTV.
Upon being retained, we immediately requested disclosure and began resolution discussions with the Crown. Notwithstanding the strength of the evidence against our client, we were able to successfully persuade the Crown to resolve the matter by way of a peace bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charge Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762029
It was alleged that our client had gotten into a number of physically and verbally violent altercations with his common-law partner. The complainant had told the police that he had been verbally abusive towards her, and that one night he pushed her down a flight of stairs and dragged her out of their house, locking the door behind her.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and identified a number of weaknesses in the Crown Prosecutor’s case against our client. Upon discussing the matter with the Crown, we were able to use these weaknesses to resolve the matter by way of a peace bond. As a result, the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Outcome: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 751882
Our client was charged with domestic assault after getting into a violent altercation with his ex-wife with whom he continued to share a home. One night when his ex-wife returned home, our client threw a glass of water down the stairs at her. He then came down the stairs, grabbed her by the hair and shoulder, and threw her onto the ground causing her nose to bleed. Our client then grabbed her by the throat and began to choke her. During the struggle, his ex-wife managed to secretly call 911. The line was left open and she could be heard crying while our client could be heard talking in the background. Our client briefly left the room, and his ex-wife ran out into the street in an attempt to escape. When the police pulled up, they found our client chasing after his ex-wife in the street and arrested him.
Upon being retained we discussed the incident with our client, who explained that his actions were related to a medical condition. We immediately sought out proof of this condition from his doctor, and we also assisted him with developing a fulsome counseling plan to address his anger management issues. We then identified any weaknesses we could find in the case against our client and began negotiating with the Crown Prosecutor. We were able weaknesses in the Crown’s case, our client’s medical condition, and our client’s counselling to persuade the Crown to join us in a successful application for a peace bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn. `
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762047
Our client was charged with Domestic Assault after he got into a heated argument with his girlfriend. It is alleged that during the argument he grabbed her by the throat and threw her across the kitchen. She then called the police who attended the scene and arrested our client.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered and reviewed disclosure and identified weaknesses in the Crown’s case. We began to negotiate with the Crown and were able to successfully resolve the matter by way of a peace bond. As a result, the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Outcome: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Cochrane Provincial Court
Case Number: 7620291
Our client was facing a historical domestic assault charge. It was alleged that he had grabbed his partner by the hair and dragged her out of the home in front of their six-week old child. Upon being retained we immediately sought disclosure and reviewed it in detail with our client. We entered resolution discussions with the Crown and successfully negotiated a peace bond for our client. As such, the domestic assault charge was withdrawn.
Successful Result: No Criminal Record, Peace Bond, Charge Withdrawn
Cochrane Provincial Court
Case Number: 7620471
Our client was charged with assaulting his girlfriend after he called 911 during an argument between the two of them.
Once retained we sought disclosure and immediately began negotiating with the Crown. We were successful in obtaining a peace bond for our client and the domestic assault charge was withdrawn.
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charge Withdrawn
Case Number: 35170075
Our client was arrested for domestic assault after he came home from drinking at the bar to find the doors to his house locked. He then broke the handle to one of the doors so that he could gain entry to the house. Once he was inside, he found his common law partner and began to scream at her and push her, and at one point he put both of his hands around her neck. Throughout the entire altercation his common law partner was holding their 1 year old child. She managed to call the police, who later arrived and arrested our client.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and amended the conditions of our client’s bail so that he could see his children while his matter was being resolved. We also directed him to enroll in counselling and obtained proof of his attendance. We used this in conjunction with the weaknesses we had identified in the case against our client to successfully advocate for a peace bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn and our client did not obtain a criminal record.
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn No Criminal Record
Case Number: 326003
Our client got into a verbal altercation with his girlfriend in his girlfriend’s house. As the altercation escalated, it was alleged that our client damaged a number of his girlfriend’s belongings and that he also punched a hole in the wall. It was alleged that as his girlfriend attempted to stop him from breaking her possessions, he grabbed his girlfriend by the neck trying to choke her, and then pushed her away. His girlfriend called the police and our client was arrested and charged with Domestic Assault and Mischief.
Upon being retained, we ordered disclosure and identified all inconsistencies and weaknesses in the evidence against our client. We then began resolution discussions with the Crown Prosecutor and were able to successfully persuade them to resolve the charges with a peace bond. As a result, our client was able to avoid a criminal record.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 651948
It was alleged that our client was witnessed berating and striking a young boy in the middle of a restaurant. It is also alleged that he was hitting the boy with an open hand, and hit him with a closed fist in the head. Witnesses intervened, and he was then seen dragging the boy out of the restaurant and into his car. After a witness called the police and reported the incident, our client was arrested by the police and charged with Assault.
Upon being retained, we immediately filed for disclosure and identified all weaknesses in the case against our client. We utilized these weaknesses in resolution discussions with the Crown Prosecutor and were able to resolve the matter with a common law peace bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges withdrawn, Common Law Peace Bond
Case Number: 751917
Our client was charged with domestic assault and intimidation after he got into an argument with his wife that escalated and became physical. The argument started as they were discussing a potential divorce. As the argument progressed, our client began to drink and became increasingly angry. He elbowed the complainant in the mouth, then grabbed her by the throat and hit her with a closed fist in the eye. The complainant retrieved her cell phone and tried to call for help, but our client took it from her hands and submerged it in water. The complainant later was able to run from the house to a nearby police station where she told the police what had happened. The police then returned to the residence and arrested our client, and charged him with domestic assault and intimidation.
Upon being retained we immediately reviewed reviewed disclosure and began preparing for trial. We obtained glowing letters of reference from our client’s former employers and acquaintances. We also assisted our client in obtaining a professional psychiatric evaluation so that the court could better understand our client’s unique personal circumstances, and how those may have contributed to the offence. On the basis of our advocacy and our presentation of these materials at trial, we were able to successfully obtain a common law peace bond for our client. As a result, the substantive charges against him were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Common Law Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 751806
Our client was arrested and charged with domestic assault, assault with a weapon, and uttering threats after an extremely heated argument with his wife over their pending divorce. The argument began when our client started making degrading comments about his wife’s parenting abilities. His wife decided to stand up for herself, and in response our client grabbed her, pinned her down and began slapping her while he yelled at her. His wife managed to escape into another room, only to be chased by our client, caught, pinned down again and slapped. Our client was forced to stop when his wife’s mother intervened. After exiting the room, our client went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife and charged at his wife, telling her that he would kill her. The couple’s infant child was present for the entire altercation.
Upon being retained, we thoroughly reviewed all disclosure which included some audio and video recordings of our client committing the alleged offences. We flushed out all weaknesses in the case against our client and discussed his options. He directed us to seek a resolution with the Crown Prosecutor that would allow him to avoid a criminal record. We directed him to immediately enroll in anger management counselling to assist with the negotiation process. We began resolution discussions with the Crown, and used proof of our client’s counselling and weaknesses in the case against our client to persuade the Crown to join us in a successful application for a Peace Bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 4362186
Our client was charged with Domestic Assault, Forcible Confinement, and Mischief after he got into an argument with his girlfriend over her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. The argument became heated, and our client’s girlfriend tried to leave the room but our client would not let her. Every time she attempted to walk out, our client would push her back. She eventually managed to get past him, but he caught up with her and pushed her into the wall which became dented from the force of the impact. He then punched her in the face with a closed fist, and took her cell phone from her and broke it. After he was arrested and released, he subsequently tried to reach out to her through one of her friends, breaching the conditions of his release.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered disclosure and quickly identified any weaknesses we could find in the case against our client. We also helped our client enroll in a comprehensive counselling course which would help him better his anger management skills. We then began resolution discussions with the Crown Prosecutor, and with the Prosecutor’s support were able to successfully resolve the matter by way of a peace bond. As a result, the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 750983
Our client was arrested and charged with extortion, publication of intimate images without consent, and assault after she obtained nude images of the complainant and her husband. She subsequently demanded that the complainant meet with her in person. When she and the complainant met, she struck the complainant in the face. She also demanded a lump sum payment from the complainant, and threatened that if she was not paid, she would post the images on social media.
Upon being retained we immediately ordered and reviewed disclosure and identified serious evidentiary issues in the case against our client. We also sought out multiple, strong character references for our client, and assisted our client in selecting anger management courses which she successfully completed. We used the evidentiary weaknesses in the Crown’s case and proof of our client’s counselling to advocate for the resolution of this matter by way of a peace bond. As a result, the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762019
Our client was charged with publishing an intimate image without consent shortly after he broke up with his girlfriend and sent her nude image to her mother. His girlfriend quickly found out, called the police, and our client was arrested and charged.
Upon being retained we ordered and reviewed disclosure, and helped our client register in a counselling program that would help him better manage his anger. We then discussed potential resolutions with the Crown Prosecutor and were able to successfully persuade them that the matter would be best resolved by way of a peace bond. As a result of our efforts, the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 55172318
Our client was charged with assault and unlawful confinement after getting into an extremely violent confrontation with his girlfriend. While they were together, our client looked through her phone and saw that she had been sending messages to other men. After discovering these messages, our client became outraged and began yelling at his girlfriend who then asked him to leave her house. He refused to leave, and trapped her in her room. When she tried to escape, he pushed her onto the bed, crawled on top of her, and put his hand over her mouth. She continued to struggle so our client grabbed her by the back of her head, and slammed her to the ground. As the struggle continued, his girlfriend was able to escape and call the police.
Upon being retained, we thoroughly reviewed our client’s disclosure and found a number of holes in the complainant’s version of events. We were able to use these weaknesses to persuade the Crown Prosecutor to resolve the matter with a peace bond. As a result, the charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Peace Bond, Charges Withdrawn, No Criminal Record
Case Number: 762075
It is alleged that on the day of the offence, our client got into a heated verbal argument with his wife. The argument escalated to the point that our client grabbed his wife, pulled her toward him, and then punched her in the head with a closed fist. He then threatened her that if she did not leave, he would kill her. His wife also reported to the police that there was an extensive, and unreported history of domestic violence between them, and that she feared for herself and for her children.
Upon being retained we ordered and reviewed disclosure. We then directed our client to a comprehensive counselling program and began negotiating with the Crown on his behalf. We were able to successfully advocate for a peace bond, and as a result all the substantive charges against our client were withdrawn.
Successful Result: Charges Withdrawn, Peace Bond, No Criminal Record
No Jail
Assault Causing Bodily Harm and Assault With a Weapon Charges Result in a Conditional Sentence Order
Case Number: 762082
Our client was charged with Assault With a Weapon and Assault Causing Bodily harm after entering the house of an acquaintance and beating him with a baseball bat. Earlier that night our client was at the victim’s residence drinking with several other people. They got into a disagreement, during which the victim insulted our client’s girlfriend. In response, our client left and returned with a baseball bat, and struck the victim in the head. The victim suffered grievous injuries for which he had to be hospitalized for several months, had to receive extensive surgery, left him deaf in one of his ears, and that left him unable to drive or work following the incident. Due to the extensive and serious nature of the injuries sustained by the victim, as well as the fact that our client had a criminal record, the Crown was seeking a period of incarceration.
Upon being retained, we immediately ordered disclosure and directed our client to enroll in a comprehensive counselling program. We thoroughly reviewed the disclosure against him and used weaknesses we found in his case as well as the counselling our client had completed to advocate for a resolution that would allow our client to remain out of jail. As a result of our efforts, we were able to successfully obtain a conditional sentence order that allowed him to serve a short sentence in the community.
Successful Result: Conditional Sentence Order, No Time in Jail
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Client Reviews
Michael Oykhman is a very professional lawyer and the first time I spoke to him he asked about my situation and he gave me some very helpful advice and assistance and also told me his odds of winning this case. During the days I was in contact with micheal I could feel the level of professionalism of him and his team, he is able to respond back to you with any questions you have within 24 hours. In the end he was as successful in helping me win my case as he had initially promised me.If you are still struggling to find a lawyer, I highly recommend Michael Oykhman.
Please give yourself a favour and contact Mr. Michael Oykhman if you need any legal advice or if you are in a terrible situation. Even-tough, the odds are not in your favour, still they will go extra miles to help you out in bad situation and get you favourable outcome. Moreover, They will work on your file even after the business hours. I don’t have words to say thanks to Mr. Michael oykhman and Kiran Cheema who had worked on my file and get me out of trouble. I’m very grateful for your assistance and exceptional service. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I am grateful that Ms. Moira McAvoy was my lawyer, and I remain thankful to her for everything. She made a successful resolution to my case possible. Ms. Moira McAvoy is a professional, trustworthy lawyer, and a compassionate person. She is an excellent listener and knowledgeable of the law. From the start, she was an excellent guide. I did not know anything about the legal system and court, and she outlined everything clearly in advance, so I could understand things. She never rushed me through anything. She spoke clearly, explained everything, considered what I said, and provided options and advice. She kept me up to date on new information, requirements, and deadlines. She was always positive and this helped so much.
Ryan Patmore and his team are simply the best. I was bullied by CPS in 2020 and it landed me with three separate charges, assault, refusal to blow and DUI, which all went down as I was parked at a friends. After some research and a conversation with Michael, he directed me towards Ryan and at the time I didn’t know that would be a game changer in my favour! He is honest, transparent, helpful and a brilliant mind. He successfully appealed my license suspension with ATSB and then proceeded to get the crown to dismiss all my charges before trial. I never had to step foot inside a courtroom. If you are in need of a criminal defence lawyer, don’t think twice, get in touch with this firm and ask for Ryan Patmore! The guy is an absolute saviour.
Joseph Beller, from the very beginning when I first contacted and then retained Joseph as my representative I felt I was in good hands. When I emailed him with a question. I got a prompt response. We communicated often on the phone as needed. Joseph kept me informed as to the process. He made sure I knew all the potential results so I knew and could plan for the different outcomes. I know this his his job. But appreciate his professionalism and also his ability to not make me feel any extra stress. Well done.