Pre-Charge legal advice involves the consultation of a criminal lawyer at the early stages of an investigation.

If you have been involved in illegal activity or the police have identified you as a suspect of a crime, you should not wait until you are arrested to speak to one of our experienced Ontario criminal defence lawyers.

The pre-charge phase of a criminal investigation is often where police will gather the most incriminating evidence against the accused. Without knowing what the police may be looking for, or what you should and should not say to the authorities, and how the criminal court process works, you put yourself at risk of providing the police with the very information they need to charge you with an offence.

If you want to do everything you can to prevent charges being laid against you and to prevent your potential arrest and detention, it is vital that during this critical phase you seek pre-charge legal advice.

Strategic Criminal Defence is a top Google-rated criminal defence firm in Toronto, 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 provide advice to help those who have not yet been formally charged.

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 (647) 986-8077.

Toronto Pre-Charge Legal Advice

How can a Pre-Charge Legal Advice lawyer in Toronto help?

Pre-charge legal advice can make a significant difference in how a criminal investigation is handled and whether you will be arrested, detained, or charged.

For a flat rate, we offer a pre-charge legal advice package that includes:

  • A comprehensive and careful review of your current situation;
  • A careful review of all correspondence you have had with the authorities to date;
  • A careful review of all correspondence you have had with potential witnesses or complainants in the case;
  • A detailed explanation of the jeopardy you may face and the consequences of being charged or convicted of the offence;
  • Assistance with preparing for police interviews/interrogations;
  • Drafting correspondence to authorities or investigators;
  • Negotiating with authorities to resolve the matter without criminal charges;
  • Detailed legal advice about your options and what to do next;
  • Standby legal advice as the situation unfolds;
  • Standby assistance when interacting with the police; and
  • Assistance with bail should you be arrested.

Where pre-charge legal advice leads to avoiding criminal charges, it is unquestionably the best money you could spend on a lawyer. If criminal charges are inevitable, the fee that you pay for our pre-charge advice and assistance will be credited towards our general retainer fee for defending your case.

Pre-Charge Legal Advice & Potential Defences

You can talk to a lawyer about possible defences before you are charged with a crime.

For example, if the police violated your rights under the Canadian Charter while they were investigating something, this could be a strong defence. If the police searched your house without a good reason or a valid warrant, they might not be able to use any evidence they found in court.

The Crown has to prove every part of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt in order to get a conviction. When the evidence isn’t strong enough, our team sometimes talks to the police or prosecutors. This could sometimes in rare situations stop charges from being filed in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, individuals who did not commit a criminal offence frequently become key suspects in criminal investigations. Pre-charge legal advice is still helpful if you were not the one who committed the crime.

Even if you personally did nothing wrong, pre-charge legal advice can play an important role in preserving your innocence. Without a clear understanding of what the police are looking for, and your rights and obligations when being investigated, it is possible that you might say or do something that can lead to charges being laid against you, even if you are innocent.

If you are charged and later found not guilty of the crime, the mere fact that you have been charged with an offence can still negatively impact your life, as significant social stigma often accompanies criminal charges.

This can lead to serious repercussions, such as:

  • The loss of your job;
  • Inability to find preferable future employment;
  • Issues with travel; or
  • Mistrust from friends and family members.

Being proactive by engaging one of our experienced criminal defence lawyers to provide pre-charge legal advice can prevent these potential harms.