If I am guilty should I hire a lawyer for remote court via Zoom?

If you have a virtual (remote) court date you should hire a lawyer ASAP even if you are guilty because the outcome of criminal cases in Canada can vary tremendously.

Criminal case outcomes are permanent and can impact your employment, immigration status, and ability to travel to the U.S. and other countries for the rest of your life. When you are given a virtual court date for assault, mischief, theft, DUI, or any other offence your future depends on what happens with the case.

Even if you are factually guilty and intentionally committed the crime you should still hire a criminal lawyer immediately to start working on your case. If you are a first time offender this is particularly true as there can be vast differences in case outcomes in Canada depending on how your case is handled in court.

A criminal lawyer has experience dealing with the courts and the Crown Attorneys and should be able to get you the best possible outcome even if you are guilty.

You should not be self-represented and appear on your own in virtual remote court if you have the ability to hire a lawyer.

Unfortunately, many accused individuals don’t have the financial means to hire a lawyer. This is sometimes the result of their pre-existing criminal record impacting their employability. The goal of someone who is charged for the first time should be to try and avoid falling into this trap to begin with.

Being given a remote Zoom court appearance date for criminal charges is a serious thing. It is always in your best interest to hire a lawyer to represent you as soon as possible. Self-representation is never a good option for those who don’t want to be lumped in with those who already have criminal records and nothing left to lose.

Can a deal be worked out to have the charges dropped even if I did commit the crime?

In Canada charges are not always dropped because of a lack of evidence. Sometimes charges are dropped because the accused’s lawyer is able to demonstrate to the Crown that it is not in the public interest to give you a criminal record. Whether it is possible to have the charges dropped or not will depend on what you are charged with, who your lawyer deals with, and what steps you are willing to take to better yourself and your case.

When you have a criminal virtual Zoom court appearance date it is just the first of many court dates that need to be taken care of. Criminal cases in Ontario take time (usually 2 months - 1 year) to favourably resolve even if the person accepts responsibility for the offence. Outcomes for those who are guilty can vary tremendously. It is the job of your lawyer to put your case on the right track from the start and work the file in a way that leads to the absolute best possible outcome for you.

When you receive an Undertaking or Appearance Notice with a fingerprint/photograph date and a virtual remote court date you must understand that in Canada not all people who accept responsibility for their mistakes end up with the same result.

Some people end up going to jail and/or getting a permanent criminal record who may have otherwise been able to have their case withdrawn or discharged if it was handled differently from the start.

Charges are dropped (withdrawn) every day in Ontario for guilty defendants because the Crown Attorney was satisfied that such actions are in the public interest. A criminal defence lawyer knows how to try to persuade the Crown and the courts to take a restorative justice approach to your case which emphasizes giving you a second chance. Not everyone who is charged is always so lucky.

The goal is to obtain a restorative resolution for you that allows you to avoid a criminal record as opposed to punishment and deterrence. Second chances are sometimes possible even if you committed the crime (theft, assault, mischief, dui, etc,) and there's a significant amount of evidence against you such as statements from eye witnesses, video surveillance, a confession, DNA, etc.

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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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