If you are facing criminal charges, you need a criminal defence lawyer in Calgary to look at your case as soon as possible.

A peace bond is a court order described in section 810 of the Criminal Code of Canada. It is not a criminal charge, and you won’t get a criminal record just because a peace bond is issued.

When a peace bond is requested, you will need to attend a court hearing. At this hearing, the person seeking the peace bond must convince the judge they have reasonable grounds to fear you might harm them. You will have the opportunity to tell your side of the story.

If the judge issues a peace bond, you must follow all conditions listed in the order. These conditions might include:

  • Staying a certain distance from the person
  • Not contacting them in any way
  • Not visiting specific locations
  • Not possessing weapons

Breaking any condition is a criminal offence under section 811 of the Criminal Code and can result in criminal charges, a criminal record, and possibly jail time.

Strategic Criminal Defence is a top Google-rated criminal defence firm in Calgary, with over 500 5-star reviews. Our firm, and our experienced legal team, have defended clients in over 10,000 criminal cases. Leveraging our extensive network of lawyers and decades of experience, we craft defence strategies to help those accused of criminal offences beat the charge.

The lawyers at Strategic Criminal Defence are both highly experienced and dedicated to defending your rights and future in the face of these charges. Contact a lawyer today by calling (403) 719-6410.

Key Takeaways

  • A peace bond is a court order says that a person has to keep the peace and follow certain rules for up to a year.
  • People request peace bonds to keep someone they think will hurt them away from them.
  • If you agree to a peace bond, you won’t have a criminal record.
  • Section 811 of the Criminal Code says that breaking the terms of a peace bond is a crime that can be punished with a summary conviction.
  • If you break a peace bond, you could go to jail for up to two years and/or pay a fine of up to $5,000.
  • When someone violates a peace bond and gets out on bail, the rules are usually stricter than they were when they first got out. They may have to check in with the police often, follow a curfew, or be watched by cameras.

How Our Lawyers Help With a Peace Bond

Our lawyers can help you every step of the way if you are facing a peace bond. 

  • We can help you stay out of trouble by making sure you don’t say anything that could be used against you in court.
  • We talk to the police for you to act as a buffer and ensure your rights are respected.
  • Our lawyers know how to handle the court system, including navigating the complicated details of peace bonds.

Example of a Peace Bond 

  •  A woman broke up with a man after three years of dating. He then began to visit her at work and send her dozens of text messages every day, even though she told him to stop. He never directly threatened her, but the way he acted made her feel unsafe. She asked for a peace bond, and the court told him not to talk to her at all, stay at least 200 meters away from her home and work, and go to counseling for six months. He did so, and the peace bond was successful.

Consequences of a Peace Bond Breach

Section 811 of the Criminal Code says that breaking a peace bond is against the law. 

  • If the Crown chooses a summary conviction, which is more common for first-time or less serious offences, they can only send you to jail for maximum two years or fine you up to $5,000.
  • If you violate a peace bond, you will not only be punished right away, but you will also have a criminal record that can make it harder to find a job, travel, and find a place to live in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

A peace bond is a court order that says a person must keep the peace and follow some rules for up to a year. A peace bond is not the same thing as a restraining order. It is a court order that can be given to anyone, even people you don’t know, like coworkers or neighbours.

Peace bonds are meant to stop crime before it happens, so they can be granted even if no crime has happened yet. The court only needs to be sure that someone has a good reason to believe you might hurt them, their family, their pets, or their property.

You don’t have to admit to a crime when you sign a peace bond, but breaking the terms of a peace bond is a crime.

No, if you sign a peace bond, you don’t have a criminal record. A peace bond is not a guilty verdict or a criminal conviction; it is a court order to stay away from someone. If you only agreed to a peace bond, you can honestly say that you haven’t been found guilty of a crime.

The most important rule is to “keep the peace and behave,” which means not breaking the law. There are also no-contact orders. You can’t talk to the person who was scared of you (the complainant) directly or through other people.

If you have distance restrictions, you usually can’t get closer than 100 to 200 meters to the complainant’s home, school, work, or other places they go a lot. Some peace bonds say you can’t go to certain neighbourhoods or areas.

It is still possible to be charged with a crime if you accidentally break your peace bond. The law doesn’t automatically forgive mistakes. The circumstances of the breach will be important for both whether charges are filed and how the case moves forward.