Skip to main content


One of the biggest fears we get when speaking to potential clients is “will I get a criminal record if I get convicted of my Drive Suspend charge?”. The good news, is that the answer is “no”, but the bad news is that the penalties are very similar to criminal charges. This is referred to as “quasi-criminal”. This is defined by the Attorney General site of Ontario as:

Quasi-Criminal Offence. A non-criminal offence that carries a penalty similar to that of a criminal offence, but that is subject to less complex court procedures than are criminal offences. For example traffic and workplace safety offences.

What Does a "quasi-criminal" conviction mean for me?

This means that, depending on the circumstances of your Drive Suspended charges, the prosecutor has the right to ask for harsh penalties like jail time or severe fines that sound a lot like criminal penalties. But, at the end of the day, they will not translate into a criminal record. Rather they are deterring penalties that will reside on your driving abstract.

Granted, having potential jail-time is a penalty that most do not want to endure regardless of where it appears on your record. Drive Suspend charges that entail jail time, still send you to the same jails that persons with criminal charges are sent.

Similarly, high fines are still painful to your financial well-being, regardless of whether they are traffic or criminal penalties.

What Can Drive Suspend legal representation do for me?

When we represent a client, we treat the penalties just as serious as a criminal proceeding, even if they don’t result in a criminal record. Our only job is to fight against these penalties in relation to your Drive Suspend charges. After all, these are major civil liberties that are at stake.

https://youtu.be/jfjuQuGoT90 https://www.nextlaw.ca/2020/10/07/is-driving-under-suspension-a-criminal-charge/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stunt Driving Defence Costs: Why Choosing the Cheapest Lawyer Is the Most Expensive Mistake When Jonathan Cohen of Nextlaw discusses legal representation costs with prospective clients facing stunt driving charges, he consistently encounters the same flawed question: "How much does defence cost?" As Ontario's leading stunt driving lawyer, Jon Cohen has analyzed the economics of traffic defence across thousands of cases and identified a critical reality—the relevant question isn't what you'll pay for representation, but rather what conviction will cost compared to your legal investment. This comprehensive analysis examines the true financial mathematics of stunt driving defence, why block fee structures protect clients, and how choosing representation based solely on price represents the single most expensive decision defendants make. Understanding Block Fee Structures in Stunt Driving Defence Legal representative Jon Cohen exclusively employs block fee arran...
Post a Comment
Read more
Getting your license back after a DUI can feel overwhelming. As a DUI lawyer, I'll explain the steps required to get you back on the road. Understanding the Suspension Process Immediate Administrative Suspension The moment you're charged with a DUI, you face a 90-day administrative driving license suspension. This occurs before any conviction and operates independently from court penalties. Your vehicle will be towed and impounded immediately. Court-Ordered Suspensions Upon conviction, judges must impose minimum driving prohibitions: - First offense: One-year minimum - Second offense: Two to five years - Third offense: Three years to life The final duration depends on aggravating factors in your case. Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Suspensions The MTO operates parallel to the courts with its own framework: - First offense: One-year suspension - Second offense: Three-year suspension - Third offense: Lifetime suspension (reviewable after 10 yea...
Post a Comment
Read more
As a partner at Nextlaw, Ontario's leading firm in handling stunt driving offenses, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative effect of technology on legal defense strategies. My name is Jonathan Cohen, and I want to share how the digital revolution, particularly the adoption of Zoom for court proceedings, has reshaped the approach to handling stunt driving charges. This shift from traditional in-person appearances to virtual court sessions has fundamentally altered the defense landscape, offering broader access to justice for defendants. Navigating Pre-Pandemic Court Appearances Before the pandemic, the norm of physically attending court posed significant logistical challenges, especially for those facing charges far from their residence. The requirement to travel, sometimes across great distances, for court dates added a layer of complexity to the defense process. This was particularly taxing if travel became difficult or impossible due to a suspended license. The Con...
Post a Comment
Read more