Being charged with an offence is frightening. At stake is your reputation, your assets and possibly your freedom and maybe your life in the future. You can be charged with a municipal offence, a provincial offence, a federal offence, a quasi-criminal offence or a criminal offence or some combination of these. An offence is frequently serious and you need a defence lawyer.
You should meet with your defence lawyer at your earliest opportunity. In your discussion you can ask if you have been charged with a crime and what it means and what happens after being charged with a crime. You will tell the lawyer the facts as you understand them to be, show your lawyer any documents provided to you by the police or the Crown Attorney’s Office and discuss your options.
Your lawyer will explain the meaning of the charge, the elements of the offence, make recommendations to you, represent you in court, and negotiate on your behalf for the best possible outcome for you.
Your lawyer knows the law and is familiar with the Criminal Court process. It’s what he does. Let the professional help you.