When parents in Ontario get a call to inform them that their minor child is in police custody, they may not know what legal options are available to them. There are different ways in which allegations of juvenile crimes are handled under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the charges, authorities might use extrajudicial measures.
Drug charges can be filed for possession of medical marijuana
Currently, the federal drug control act of Canada prohibits residents of all provinces and territories, including Ontario, from owning or trafficking marijuana. An offence can lead to indictable drug charges. However, changes to this legislation might come in 2017. At this time, only medical marijuana may be used, and the regulations governing it are strict.
Drug charges followed pursuit on Highway 401
Ontario Provincial Police arrested the subjects of an ongoing investigation on a recent Wednesday evening. Reportedly, the OPP in Quinte West received information about a particular eastbound vehicle on Highway 401, occupied by two individuals who had outstanding arrest warrants for robbery. The two Ontario residents are now awaiting their return to Windsor where they will each face several drug charges.
New trial ordered after sex crimes conviction
The recent ruling of an Ontario Court of Appeal that granted a new trial for a convicted sex offender shows that any citizen of Ontario has a right to a fair trial. The appeals court ruled that irregularities took place during the original trial in 2015. The man was sentenced to spend five years behind bars for sex crimes involving two children.
