The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms imposes limits and obligations on government authorities and grants rights and privileges to persons suspected or charged with offences. As part of our constitution, the rights and freedoms protected by the Charter supersede other legal rules, including the provisions of the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and […]
Someone stole a cheque from a small business. That person legitimately had possession of our client's bank card, but he deposited the cheque into our client's bank account without his knowledge or consent. When the cheque was reported missing by the business, the police traced it back to our client's bank account. Our client was […]
by Aileen Furey Marie Henein is one of Canada's top criminal defence lawyers, and now a household name after she successfully defended Jian Ghomeshi in his criminal trial earlier this year. You don’t have to aspire to work in the criminal justice system to appreciate the perspective of Ms. Henein. Criminal law is just one […]
by Michael A. Johnston Being accused of a criminal offence has many indelible and irreversible aspects. Often, a criminal defendant is tried and convicted in the courts of public opinion before he or she has even made a first appearance, let alone made full answer and defence. What is worse is that even if a […]
Michael A. Johnston presented his paper "Johnston on Juries for Junior Jurists" as part of the "Awaiting the Verdict: Are Trials by Jury Still a Thing?" panel at the 28th DCAO / CCLA Criminal Law Conference: "Younger members of the profession start their careers with very little, if any, understanding about trial by jury; the […]
Our client was approached by a friend, who forced him at gunpoint to help him rob our client’s workplace by being the getaway driver. The friend and another man entered the store while our client waited in the car. An innocent bystander was shot and killed. Our client drove away without waiting for the other […]
Two brothers were returning home from a bar late at night. Some strangers began taunting the older brother, leading to a small fight. The younger brother – our client – escorted his older brother to a safe location about a block away. When police arrived, the older brother was still upset and refused to identify […]
Our client and the complainant had been dating for eight years. On the night in question, the complainant returned to our client’s apartment and found that the door was locked. Our client refused to let her inside. After banging on the door, the complainant was attacked with a stick. Our client was charged with assault […]
Trusting someone who you do not really know to handle your criminal matters is not an easy task. I know how challenging that can be as I was facing eight criminal charges when I hired Michael. I had already called many, and met with a few attorneys – some recommended by friends, others I found […]
This was the first time a family member had to seek legal assistance. Michael Johnston happened to be our first point of contact. After meeting Mr. Johnston we retained his services, he was very personable, professional and understanding. He took the time to speak to any member of our family that had concerns and understood […]
