The names of those criminally charged in Ontario are published online via the Daily Court Lists (DCL).

The courts publish the daily court dockets for all criminal appearances in the province online in the publically accessible DCL database.

The DCL publically provides the dockets online for appearances in both the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) and the Superior Court of Justice (SCJ). The DCL is fully accessible to the public and allows the accused or anyone else to see what names are on each docket, the courtroom and case number, hearing time, and case appearance type, such as:

1. First appearance
2. Adjournment (remand)
3. Guilty Plea
4. Trial

The database currently does not state what charges the accused is facing despite this information typically appearing on dockets publically available at the courthouses. The type of charges can also be obtained by calling the clerk’s office of the courthouse and asking them to run a search in the ICON computer system for the name of the accused.

When and for how long are the names of the accused published on the Daily Court Lists?

The names are published the day before court at 8:00 a.m. and will remain online until 8:00 a.m. on the day after the court appearance. The window in which the DCL is searchable is therefore somewhat short. It should be noted though that the Ontario government also has a searchable case database in which this information is publically available indefinitely and updated much further in advance of the court date than the DCL.

Why is my name being posted online? Isn’t court supposed to be private and confidential?

Some people may see their name being posted online as an invasion of privacy however the courts in Canada are open to the public. Having a justice system that is open to the public promotes fairness and is less susceptible to abuse/corruption.

While the courts now mostly operate virtually/remotely via Zoom, prior to the pandemic any member of the public was free to attend at the courthouse and see the docket. They still can attend court now in person, but they can also use the daily court list online. There is nothing private about being charged with a criminal offence in Canada.

Your name and charges may also be reported in the media.

Journalists sometimes watch the DCL and may attend court themselves and write articles about who is charged and with what offences. Absent a court order stating otherwise, this is a perfectly legal thing to do. This tends to be fairly common practice in many smaller towns and cities throughout Ontario.

Many charges of impaired driving (DUI), theft/shoplifting, and assault that may go unreported in Toronto and the GTA will often be reported on in smaller communities throughout the province. This can be a problem for those charged because rarely is the disposition (outcome) of the case ever reported even if the charges are later dropped.

Articles referencing the name and charges of the accused offender are often indexed by search engines and show up indefinitely when people search for the person’s name. This may negatively impact their reputation, employment, etc.

The DCL does not fully identify the accused. It only provides their name, court date, courthouse location, room, case number, and appearance type.

Unless you have an extremely unique name, having your name show up on the DCL database cannot necessarily be linked back to you personally. While the first and last name will be posted, absent is the person’s date of birth, address, or other information that may be needed to positively identify and publically out (dox) them.

As people commonly share names it cannot be said for certain who the person accused actually is. While some names in Ontario are extremely common (Mohammed, Singh, Kaur, Liu, etc.), those with somewhat rare first and last name combinations may be easier to link back to the accused especially if they live in a smaller community.

Will the accused's picture also be released to the public?

While the police will take your mugshot as part of the fingerprinting process your photographs will not be published on the DCL. The police force may choose to publicly release your mugshot themselves however via a press release. Linking the name back to you would probably require a visit to the courthouse or logging in online to remote court via Zoom to personally watch you appear in court.

If the accused has a lawyer representing them, which they should, typically their lawyer will attend court on their behalf (without the client being present). The person’s date of birth or other identifying information however may still be mentioned during the court appearance.

The DCL existed for a while but was relatively unknown before the implementation of the virtual remote Zoom court appearance system.

Interestingly, the DCL existed many years before the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of the remote virtual court appearance system in Ontario. Now that remote Zoom court appearances are the norm, the DCL has gained a substantial amount of popularity as it is now used by the Crown, defence counsel, and other court staff to organize and call the list of names in set date court.

How can I find my court date using the Daily Court Lists?

If you believe your court appearance date is either today or tomorrow, you can search your courthouse location and view the docket list to see if your name is on it. To search today's or tomorrow's court dates using the DCL, click here.

Is every name included on the DCL 100% of the time?

All adult (18+) accused first and last names will normally appear on the DCL. If the accused is a youth charged under the YCJA, only their initials will be provided.

Just like with the regular paper dockets the DCL is not necessarily complete or infinitely up to date. As such, there is no guarantee your name will be listed on it even if you are searching for the correct court date and location. As such, the DCL should never be relied on completely. If you expected to see your name listed and it is not then you should call the clerk’s office of the courthouse immediately to confirm when your next court appearance date is.

Names are missing from the list fairly regularly. There is also often an “add on” docket as well that exists independent of the regular docket. Names on the add on list are not necessarily publicly posted on the DCL. Anyone’s name can be a potential add on. This is often the result of late data entry, paperwork sorting issues, and other events that happen in the background of the court system. Being on the add on list is not an unusual occurrence.

If you fail to show up for a virtual court appearance date a warrant may be issued for your arrest and you may also be criminally charged with failing to comply in addition to the charges you are already facing.

How can I remove my name from the Daily Court Lists or prevent them from posting my information online?

You can’t. The list is automatically generated and if you are on it you have been criminally charged and should hire a criminal lawyer immediately to start working on your case.

While the court appearance itself may be virtual, the potential consequences are not.

If you are on the DCL and charged with a criminal offence in Ontario you are at risk of having to go to jail and/or obtain a criminal record that can show up on employment background checks, IRCC immigration applications, and prevent you from travelling to the United States for the rest of your life.

Criminal case dispositions are for the most part permanent and there are many time sensitive opportunities that may be lost forever available to you now. It is extremely important that you hire a lawyer to represent you (ideally before your first court appearance date).

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You don't have to jeopardize your future or waste thousands of dollars on excessive legal fees. We provide effective and affordable lawyer representation for those charged with criminal offences throughout Ontario, Canada.

Have a skilled criminal lawyer who focuses on criminal law protect you and your future from the stigma and consequences of a criminal record and conviction.

Are you a lawyer? If you are defending a criminal case and are looking for expert advice regarding possible defences, case strategies, and information release management call us at: 647-228-5969.

Please note: We do not accept legal aid certificate cases. All clients are handled on a private retainer only.

*2024 Results: the percentage of 99% of clients avoiding a criminal record (conviction) stated on this page is based solely on Lawyer Mark Zinck's personal representation of approximately 2000 criminal defence case clients as of the year 2024. Past results are not necessarily an indication of future results.

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