Helpful legal questions
Legal support answers
At Verdurmen Law, clients often ask about our legal scope, our team’s depth, and how we resolve cases for them.
Absolutely! Speaking to a lawyer in the beginning stages of an investigation against you can be very helpful because the lawyer will explain to you your rights and how you are able to exercise them.
A lawyer can review the disclosure and highlight defences which may be available to you. The disclosure is the police investigative material which you are entitled to review prior to your arraignment.
A lawyer will also be very useful with representing you at trial. It can be a daunting task trying to figure out the procedure and evidence rules by yourself. An experienced criminal defence lawyer will be able to assist you with making procedural choices and making appropriate arguments during the court proceedings.
Even if you decide to plead guilty, a lawyer’s work is incredibly valuable at the sentencing stage. A lawyer can have proper resolution discussions with the Crown Prosecutor in order to determine what pleas should be entered and what sentence the lawyers will ask the Judge to consider.
Even if the defence lawyer and the Crown Prosecutor are not in agreement with what is an appropriate sentence for you, your lawyer will research case law and precedents in order to support the sentence that your team will ask the judge to impose on you.
There is a wide range of sentences available which depend on the nature of the offence, the sentences that other individuals have received for similar offences, as well as your personal circumstances.
You should also be mindful that there are consequences outside of court that might result from your guilty pleas. Examples of this are immigration repercussions, difficulties with travelling, and difficulties with applying for certain work positions.
Yes, we represent individuals who are unable to afford legal representation and who are eligible through the Legal Aid program.