What is domestic assault?
According to the Alberta Justice Department’s Domestic Violence Handbook, domestic violence is any use of physical or sexual force, actual or threatened, in a domestic relationship.
Blog
You have rights when being investigated by police
A police tactical squad recently used a battering ram to break down the door of an Edmonton home before officers entered with guns drawn as they investigated a supposed kidnapping incident in the home.
High profit margins, low prosecution rates drive auto thefts
Alberta has seen a sharp increase in auto thefts in the past two years after years of decline.
SafeRoads Alberta doubles down on its unfairness
When an Alberta court finds a piece of legislation unfair to the public, it is commonly assumed the government will respond by bringing that law in line with the judiciary’s wishes.
Access to a timely trial is a Charter right
Alberta’s courtrooms are plagued with multiple issues that slow the administration of justice, resulting in unacceptably long waits before a case is heard. This problem is so dire that it has caught the attention of Canada’s top judge.
Police body cameras are a step toward accountability
Alberta is the first province to mandate that officers working for municipal police services and self-administered Indigenous departments must wear body cameras while on duty.
Employee theft in Alberta is more common than you think
When people consider theft from businesses they may only think about shoplifters. However, employee theft may be more common, although it is much harder to detect and put a value on.
Be careful what you say online when facing a criminal charge
Most Canadians send online messages or post on social media platforms every day. However, we may not always give what we write much thought since we have become so familiar with these forms of communication.
The fundamental right to remain silent
The right to silence is rooted in the presumption of innocence, a foundational principle of Canadian criminal law.
How to decide whether to plead guilty or go to trial
After you are charged with a criminal offence, you have an important decision to make – how to respond to the charge. That choice will set the course for the rest of the legal process.
The beginning stages of a criminal proceeding
Most people have no first-hand experience with the criminal trial process. Their knowledge of what happens may be based on what they see on television.
Sureties play an important role in our justice system
After someone is arrested for a criminal offence, they may be either released on a promise to appear or an undertaking if they are not held in custody.
There will be new sheriffs in town, but is that what Alberta needs?
Alberta is getting some new sheriffs, although some people are questioning how effective they will be.
Having Crown attorneys vet charges before they are laid serves justice
An important change is coming to Alberta’s criminal justice system that should significantly reduce our court system’s caseload.
Alberta Firearms Act is what the province needs
Bill 8, the Alberta Firearms Act, took effect when it received royal assent on March 28, 2023. After years of attacks by Ottawa on law-abiding gun owners, the Act gives Alberta the tools it needs to regulate and administer firearms.
What you should know about the charge of luring a child
When a 39-year-old man went to a Calgary LRT station two years he thought he was going to meet a 15-year-old girl he had been chatting with online in order to have sex, according to a news report.
SCC judgment reinforces fundamental legal principles
A recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) reinforces the legal principle that the Crown must present clear evidence to win a criminal conviction. It also shows the value of having effective defence counsel at trial.
Violent crimes are eroding public confidence in police
Violent crime is a concern for people living in large urban centres and Calgarians are losing faith in their police force when it comes to responding to it.
What you need to know about sexual offences involving children
Two recent high-profile cases have put the spotlight on child sex crimes.
Do not carry a concealed weapon in Alberta
People living in Alberta may wonder if they can carry some sort of concealed weapon with them when they go out in public, especially at night.
You have the right to protect yourself, within limits
A high-profile case in rural Alberta has raised questions about citizens’ rights to self-defence. In March 2020, two men stopped their truck on a public road near a farmer’s property. The landowner called his son and told him to bring a gun because he was concerned they were there to steal property.
Bail is for everyone, even those accused of violent crimes
The issue of whether people accused of violent crimes should be granted bail is back in the news after a police officer in Ontario was killed while stopping to check on a car in a ditch
Alberta’s IRS program puts efficiency ahead of fairness
The Alberta government claims that changes to the province’s impaired driving laws made at the end of 2020 “will keep our roads safer by providing serious and immediate consequences for all impaired drivers.”
Organized criminal operations increasing across Alberta
Criminal organizations play a large role in illegal activities that occur in Alberta.
Reports of hate crime surge in our provincial capital
Four examples of alleged hate crimes investigated by Albertan police or dealt with by the courts in 2022.
