Criminal Justice and Women's Division

The Criminal Justice and Women's Division provides representation to individuals charged with summary conviction offences, that is, offences where the person can be represented by a student, at one of the five locations of the Ontario Court of Justice in the City of Toronto.  Priority is given to clients falling within the clinic’s identified priority groups not covered by other divisions:  women who have experienced domestic violence, persons living in the Jane-Finch community, persons living with mental health difference and persons whose charges raise issues of race.

If you are seeking assistance in this area, you must ensure that you have your ‘Charge Screening Form’ from your Disclosure package with you when you phone us to determine if we are capable of handling the type of charge laid against you. The 'Charge Screening Form' is a pink or yellow piece of paper and contains key information regarding the charges against you.

 

We may provide representation for:

  • Summary conviction offences under the Criminal Code or hybrid offences where the Crown intends to proceed summarily being heard within the City of Toronto provincial courts UNLESS excluded below
  • Some charges relating to the possession of drugs, where the charge is treated as a summary conviction offence
  • Provincial offence charges where race is an issue
  • Civil recovery claims being initiated against individuals by retailers
  • Complaints against the police
  • Civil claims (up to $10,000) against security guards or police officers

 

We do not provide representation for:

  • Indictable offences
  • Summary conviction offences where the Crown indicates that, upon a conviction, a jail sentence will be sought
  • All driving offences (including driving over .80, impaired driving and refusal to provide breath samples)
  • Highway Traffic Act and Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act charges
  • Parking tickets or any other by-law infractions, such as excessive noise
  • Men charged with a violent crime (i.e. assault, threats, etc.) against a partner in a domestic relationship.  Click here for referral to Downtown Legal Service
  • Federal offences (with the exception of drug charges)
  • Cases where the 'Charge Screening Form' indicates that the Crown is seeking diversion or a peace bond (except in exceptional circumstances)