Criminal & drug defence
The Crown has to prove it. You have the right to make them.
A criminal charge does not make you guilty, and not having a lawyer does not make you powerless. The system runs on procedure — disclosure, Charter rights, timelines, and the burden of proof. This side of Haven Justice teaches you that procedure, gives you the leading Canadian authorities in plain language, and helps you draft the applications that decide most cases long before trial.
Charge to sentence
Every stage of an Ontario criminal case, what happens, and exactly what to do at each step.
Open →Case library
Grant, Stinchcombe, McNeil, Jordan, Le, Paterson, Morelli and more — with the tests spelled out.
Open →Applications & drafting
Disclosure letters, McNeil requests, Charter notices, Garofoli and s.11(b) applications — with AI drafting in your case file.
Open →Drug offences
CDSA elements, what the Crown must prove, and the defences that actually work.
Open →Three things to do today
- 1. Talk to duty counsel. It is free, confidential and available at every Ontario courthouse and by phone. Free advice is not a lesser defence.
- 2. Request full disclosure in writing. Notes, video, audio, the ITO, lab certificates, continuity. Keep a dated copy of every request.
- 3. Start a dated chronology. Every appearance, every adjournment and who asked for it. That single document is what makes an R v Jordan delay application possible.
Free, reliable sources
Legal Aid Ontario — duty counsel & certificates
Free advice at the courthouse; certificates for eligible serious charges.
CanLII — free full text of every decision
Search by case name or citation. Read the whole case, not just the summary.
Criminal Code of Canada
Always check the section as it read on your offence date.
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Schedules I–V define which substances are covered.
Ontario Court of Justice — practice directions
Local filing rules and notice periods for Charter applications.
Steps to Justice (CLEO) — criminal law
Plain-language Ontario procedure written for self-represented people.
Justice for Children and Youth
Free legal help for people under 18 and youth criminal justice matters.
Legal information, not legal advice. Criminal charges carry serious consequences including jail and immigration consequences — always speak with duty counsel or Legal Aid Ontario.