By LegalMatters Staff • A plea bargain is an agreement between the Crown and the accused in a criminal case. A person accused of a crime will agree to plead guilty to lesser or fewer charges than they initially faced in exchange for a more lenient sentence or other concessions. These agreements can be initiated […]
Most criminal cases in Canada are resolved by guilty pleas Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Some people may believe police cannot search their vehicle in Canada without a warrant, As with many things with law, the rules in this area are not that simple. “The freedom from random vehicle searches is granted by s.8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when it states that
Police can search a vehicle without a warrant in some circumstances Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Many people charged with a criminal offence are often released from custody on bail. The formal name is a “release order” and it may come with certain conditions, such as having a bail surety. Bail is usually given within 24 hours of an arrest, unless the alleged crime is serious or
Supreme Court of Canada says bail the ‘cardinal rule’ after an arrest Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Any deceptive or fraudulent activity in connection with the buying or selling of securities is considered securities fraud. Insider trading, which involves the buying or selling of securities based on information that is not shared with the public, is one example. “Securities fraud is regulated primarily by provincial and territorial securities
Cryptocurrencies are often involved in securities fraud Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • The buying or selling of stocks or other securities by people who have access to non-public, material information about a company is called insider trading. It is a crime because this information could affect the stock price once it becomes known. “It gives those with privileged information an unfair advantage over
Difficult to prove someone has engaged in insider trading Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • Any technique that disguises the source of money or assets earned through illegal activity can be considered money laundering. Businesses commonly associated with this crime include banks, law firms, money service businesses/currency exchanges, real estate agencies, car dealerships and jewellers. “Section 462.31 (1) of the Criminal Code makes it a crime
Casinos can be exploited to facilitate money laundering Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • If police have reasonable grounds to suspect you were involved in a crime they can arrest you and take you to the station for questioning, with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom spelling out your rights during the interrogation. That includes informing you of your right to speak to a
Understanding your rights during a police interrogation Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • There are few things more stressful than looking into the rearview mirror and seeing a police car’s flashing lights. If you find yourself in this situation you must stop your vehicle and speak to officers. But you also have rights when you are pulled over that they must respect. “No matter
What are your rights if you are stopped by police? Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • There have been more than 150,000 reports of fraud in Canada with at least $600 million stolen since January 2021, according to the National Cyber Crime Assessment 2023-2024 published by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Those crimes start with perpetrators hacking into a network to gather user information, steal data or disrupt
Computer hacking is a global multibillion-dollar industry Read More »
By LegalMatters Staff • If you use the internet, e-mail or other telecommunication technologies to harass or stalk another person you could be considered a cyberstalker. The crime can take many forms, including using GPS tools to track someone’s physical location without their permission or following a victim’s social footprints to monitor what they post.
Tracking someone’s digital footprints is a form of cyberstalking Read More »
