Now What?
Let's begin your defence immediately.
Because each case is fact-specific, it is very important to get legal advice from us on what you need to do in your particular case. There are, however, a few general things you should do as soon as possible:
- Write down in detail, and preferably in chronological order, what happened. There should be three main aspects to your statement: the circumstances leading up to the incident, what actually took place during the incident, and what has happened since the incident. Use maps and diagrams where applicable. Be sure to include the date on the statement.
- Ask any witnesses who may have any bearing on the case to write down their version of events.
- Keep an ongoing journal of any dealings associated with your case so you can update your lawyer accordingly.
- Collect and maintain all documents issued to you by the police, the courts, and anyone else associated with your case.
- Take pictures of anything relevant to the case, whether it’s pictures of the scene, specific items, or yourself.
- Start thinking about collecting information and documentation that casts you in a positive light, including any accomplishments in school, work, and your community.
At first, this list might seem overwhelming, but remember that this is all meant to help you. A big part of the stress of being charged with an offence is feeling like there is always something you need to do, and stressing out because you delay doing it. You can relieve much of that stress by doing the initial groundwork. Once you retain Dunn & Associates and provide us with your initial information, we will send you a letter advising you that we have been retained.
Our criminal lawyers will be going to court for you and dealing with the Judge, the Crown Prosecutor, and the Police. It is important to note that the first court date is generally a procedural appearance. That is, nothing substantive happens that day. There may be several such appearances. We will attend as many appearances as are necessary to obtain and assess all the relevant information, before taking any next steps. We will obtain the police information package that outlines the case against you, and we will review the information and discuss the case with you, and with the Crown Prosecutor. From there, we will determine the strategy and approach, and what to do next.
The benefit of having Dunn & Associates as your legal firm is that you will not have to come to court or do anything further until we inform you otherwise. The only thing you have to keep vigilant of is that we always have your most current contact information. We cannot stress enough the importance of having clear lines of communication, therefore you should always contact our office to advise of changes in address, email, or phone number, and of any extended trips you are planning which might make communication difficult.