Crime decreasing but still a problem in rural Alberta
Rural crime in southern Alberta declined last year, according to a May 2024 statement from the RCMP.
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The age of consent when it comes to sexual relations
The age of consent is when a young person can legally agree to sexual activity, ranging from kissing and fondling to sexual intercourse. A person under the age of consent cannot agree to sexual activity unless they fall into the close-in-age groups defined below.
What is public mischief?
If you give false information to police that causes them to launch an investigation, you could be charged with public mischief. This is a serious offence since your actions can potentially waste police resources and time they otherwise would have spent looking into real crimes.
What is the legal age to own and use a firearm in Canada?
Canadians must be 18 to purchase and possess a firearm but those as young as 12 can use them if they have the proper licence.
What to do if you have been charged with sexual assault
Few crimes carry the stigma of sexual assault. Convictions relating to sexual offences will often result in significant jail sentences and the requirement to submit DNA samples to the state and registry into SOIRA (Sex Offender Information Registration Act).
Understand your legal responsibilities before hunting in Alberta
Hunting is an integral part of Alberta’s heritage and way of life.
However, the laws governing this activity can be confusing, especially to those new to the sport. The uninitiated may take down a prohibited animal or be found hunting in a non-designated area. Both actions could result in charges.
Harsh penalties are given for child luring
Child luring occurs when an adult communicates with someone who they believe to be under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity or to commit an abduction. This communication is done through email, messaging apps or web-based chat program.
Legally registered guns ‘rarely’ used to commit criminal acts
A recent Statistics Canada report confirms that people with unregistered firearms are responsible for the majority of gun-related crime in Canada.
Severe sentences imposed for child pornography convictions
People convicted of child pornography offences face significant custodial sentences. Sexual offences involving children are taken seriously by our judicial system and those under investigation need to seek legal counsel immediately.
What to do if you are charged with domestic violence in Alberta?
Domestic violence is the use of physical or sexual force, actual or threatened, in an intimate relationship.
Theft in Alberta can take many forms
Theft is one of the most commonly charged offences prosecuted in Alberta. According to Statistics Canada, there were 3,526 charges for theft over $5,000 laid in Alberta in 2022, along with 83,324 charges for theft under $5,000 in that same period.
Incidents of fraud are on the rise across Alberta
Fraud is one of the most common charges laid by police, especially in Alberta. According to Statistics Canada, it has seen the greatest increase nationwide since 2011, rising from 87,174 offences in 2011 to 168,483 in 2021.
Understanding the difference between murder and manslaughter
Police will be looking to lay charges whenever someone is unlawfully killed. But will the suspect be charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter? It all depends on the circumstances and the intent behind the act.
What to do if you are caught in a checkstop
Police forces across Alberta kicked off their holiday checkstop season in early December. As this Calgary news report noted, “A steady stream of vehicles loaded into the dedicated stalls where drivers were asked to submit to a mandatory roadside breathalyzer.
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.
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.
