Edmonton Criminal Defence Lawyers Serving Alberta and Western Canada
Crimes in Edmonton vary widely in type and severity, as do the associated punishments.
Even when the crime is relatively minor, a criminal record can negatively impact your life for years, making it extremely difficult to find a good job, housing, or even a loan. A criminal conviction can also affect an existing child custody arrangement.
Don’t make the mistake of trying to defend yourself against criminal charges. The skilled defence team at Chadi & Company has been protecting the rights of individuals charged with crimes for 30 years, and we have an impressive track record of getting clients’ charges reduced or withdrawn, or of obtaining pre-trial resolutions, such as the Alternative Measures Program.
Serving all of Alberta, including Edmonton and Northern Alberta, we will fight aggressively and tirelessly to protect your rights, reputation, and freedom.
Proud to be one of the best criminal defence lawyers in Edmonton.
We have repeatedly been selected and recognized as one of Edmonton’s best criminal defence firms. We are proud and grateful to be selected for these awards and will continue to defend our clients to the best of our abilities.
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Been Charged with a Criminal Offence in Edmonton?
If you’ve been charged with any type of crime, the steps you take immediately following your arrest are critical to the outcome of your case.
The two most important pieces of advice we can give for what to do if you’ve been arrested are as follows:
- Do not speak to the police other than to give them identifying information, such as your name, date of birth, and address. Be polite and cooperative, but it is your legal right to inform the police that you wish to remain silent until you have spoken with a lawyer. Anything you say can be used against you in court, so don’t say anything you don’t have to.
- Contact a skilled Edmonton criminal defence lawyer immediately. Before you make another move or speak another word, consult with a lawyer. Most people are unaware of their legal rights in these situations, and even if you do know your rights, it’s easy to become emotional, reactive, and confused when enduring the stressful experience of being arrested. Your lawyer can ensure that your rights and best interests are protected throughout the entire process.
Looking for an experienced criminal defence lawyer in Edmonton?
Call us today at (780) 429-2300 or request a free consultation if you or your loved one has been charged with a criminal offence in Edmonton or the surrounding areas.
Types of Crimes We Handle
At Chadi & Company, we have successfully defended tens of thousands of individuals charged with a criminal offence.
We represent clients at every level in the province, including the Alberta Court of Justice, the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, and the Court of Appeal of Alberta. The most common crimes we handle include:
Drug offences, such as possession, trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking, importation, production, criminal conspiracy, and organized crime;
- Domestic offences, including all forms of assault, strangulation/choking, criminal harassment, uttering threats, unlawful confinement, sexual assault and mischief;
Violent offences, such as assault, assault with a weapon/causing bodily harm, aggravated assault, robbery, kidnapping, manslaughter, and first/second degree murder;
- DUI, including driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, refusing to provide a breath/blood sample, and impaired driving that causes bodily harm or death;
- Criminal driving offences, including driving while prohibited, hit-and-run, dangerous driving, and failing to stop for police;
- Sexual offences, such as sexual assault, unwanted sexual touching, voyeurism and sexual interference;
Firearms and weapons offences, , including illegal possession, carrying, use, trafficking, and importing/exporting of firearms;
- Property offences, such as shoplifting, theft, vandalism, criminal mischief, breaking and entering, arson; and possession of stolen property;
Financial offences and civil forfeitures, such as proceeds of crime, fraud, identity theft, uttering a forged document, counterfeiting, money laundering and civil forfeiture.
Edmonton Criminal Defence Statistics
During 2021, the Edmonton Police Service recorded over 170,000 occurrences where a police report may have resulted in an investigation. With a population of 1.1 million that year, this indicates that a staggering 15.8% of residents were involved and may have come under suspicion for a criminal offence. And this stat only counts the individuals directly investigated and does not include the friends, family, and others who are also impacted by this.
Many people think that they can represent themselves in the criminal justice system because there are so many online resources. However, it is important to keep in mind that a lot of this information is incorrect. Additionally, these resources do not provide individuals with the confidence they need to represent themselves before a judge properly.
Our Edmonton lawyers are familiar with these difficulties as Edmonton is our home as well, and we will fight to give you fair and skilled legal representation.
How An Edmonton Criminal Defence Lawyer Can Help
If you are facing criminal charges, it is in your best interest to seek immediate legal counsel. A defence lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation of your case to determine if your legal rights were violated at any point during the arrest, or after you were taken into custody.
An experienced lawyer will gather evidence and witness statements to strengthen your case and weaken the prosecution’s case. Your lawyer may also be able to get your charges reduced, dropped, or obtain a pre-trial resolution if you qualify for the Alternative Measures Program or other resolutions.
Furthermore, while a defence lawyer isn’t a therapist, a good one should be able to help you navigate the legal system and some of the emotions that dominate criminal cases.
After 30 years of successfully defending individuals against every type of criminal charge, our legal team at Chadi & Company has pretty much seen it all. And as tough as we are in the courtroom, we are just as compassionate with our clients. Our defence team understands that people make mistakes.
We are not here to judge. We are here to position you for the most favourable outcome in your case and help you get through this process in the quickest, least painful, and most cost-effective manner possible. At Chadi & Company, we will advocate for you every step of the way.
Contact Chadi & Company Today
If you have been charged with any type of criminal offence, the skilled legal team at Chadi & Company can help. We have been protecting the rights of individuals charged with crimes in Edmonton for 30 years, and we understand how stressful and terrifying it can be to face criminal charges.
Our experienced, knowledgeable, tenacious defence lawyers will fight aggressively and tirelessly to position you for the best possible outcome. It is our goal to protect your rights, reputation, and freedom so that you can move on with your life.
Criminal Defence FAQ
If you or a loved one suddenly find yourself at the center of an investigation, detained for questioning, arrested or facing charges for a criminal offence, it’s only natural that questions about your legal options, rights and needs might flood your mind. What laws apply to your situation, and what do you need to know when your freedom could be at stake? Not only are you entitled to legal counsel, but a good criminal defence lawyer can mean the difference between a best-case outcome and serving maximum penalties.
At Chadi & Company, we take criminal law cases very seriously and fight tirelessly to protect our clients’ rights and interests. Find answers below to some of the most common questions we receive about criminal cases.
Q: How much does it cost to hire a criminal defence lawyer in Edmonton?
A: Section 10(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms establishes the right of all Canadians to obtain legal counsel without delay if they are arrested, detained, or charged in connection with a crime. Defence lawyers in Edmonton and throughout the country set their own rates for legal services, and many accept Legal Aid certificates that subsidize their fees, rendering them cost-free for the client. At Chadi & Company, we strive to make our services reasonable and affordable, offering free consultations during which we’ll go over the full range of payment options available.
Q: What are the Canadian self-defence laws?
A: In Canada, the law states that using or threatening force is not a crime when done in self-defence. The law further specifies that there must be a real or appropriately perceived threat to one’s own safety or the safety of another person and that the act committed in response to this perceived threat must be deemed reasonable given the particular circumstances.
Q: How long does a DUI stay on your record?
A: In Edmonton and throughout Alberta, DUIs and other impaired driving offences are taken very seriously. A DUI can impact your driving record, driver’s abstract, and criminal record.
In Alberta, a criminal conviction or a license suspension which resulted from a DUI will remain on your driving record. However, the conviction or suspension may not show up on your driver’s abstract, depending on the type of driver’s abstract you have requested. A driver’s abstract simply displays a driver’s history over a specified period of time and can be requested in 3, 5, or 10-year intervals. If you are convicted criminally of a DUI, the conviction will remain on your criminal record and will only be removed if you apply for a record suspension, which is commonly referred to as a “pardon” Depending on how the Crown proceeds against you, you will be eligible for a pardon after 5 years for a summary offence, or after 10 years for an indictable offence.
Q: On what grounds can a judge deny bail?
A: Judges can use their discretion in accepting or denying bail, but they must abide by the provisions established in section 515(10) of the Criminal Code. Under the law, a Judge can deny bail for any of these three reasons:
- To guarantee that the accused person will appear in court as scheduled (such as if they are deemed a flight risk)
- To protect the public (such as if there is a “substantial likelihood” they will commit an offence or endanger others upon release)
- If, in their opinion, considering all circumstances, the accused person must remain in custody in order to “maintain confidence in the administration of justice” (often due to the gravity of the alleged offence and/or the strength of the case against them)
Q: How do I know if there is a warrant for my arrest?
A: Arrest warrants may be issued for a number of reasons, including if a person fails to appear in court as scheduled or subpoenaed, has broken probation or parole or has been charged with a crime but unable to be located. If you suspect or are concerned about a potential arrest warrant in Edmonton, you should retain legal counsel immediately. If a warrant exists, your defence lawyer can find out the details, arrange for your surrender, and even negotiate the terms of your release (bail). You can also find out if there is a warrant for your arrest by visiting either the local police station or the clerk at your local courthouse—but be aware, if one does exist, you will be arrested on the spot without the opportunity to consult your lawyer beforehand.