An arrest is stressful and fast-moving. This guide outlines practical next steps under Ontario criminal procedure — and when to call defence counsel.
The information on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
After an arrest in Ontario: ask to speak with a lawyer, use your right to silence, do not discuss the allegation on social media or with the complainant, keep all paperwork, and get advice about release conditions and your first court date. Call defence counsel as soon as you can — (416) 998 8900.
Arrest and detention trigger rights to counsel and to silence. Be polite with officers while clearly asking for a lawyer. Do not sign documents you do not understand without advice when advice is available. If you are offered a phone call, use it to reach counsel or to ask a family member to call counsel immediately. This guide is general information from a Richmond Hill criminal defence firm; it is not a script for evading police.
You may be released with a promise to appear and conditions, or held for a bail hearing. If held, family members should focus on contacting counsel and potential sureties rather than investigating the facts themselves. Toronto and York Region clients of Vosooghi Law are served from our Richmond Hill office at 8900 Yonge Street.
No-contact terms, curfews, weapons prohibitions, and reporting conditions bind you once ordered. Alleged breaches can lead to new charges — see breach of bail conditions. If a condition is unworkable, ask counsel about a variation; do not ignore it.
Your first appearance is usually administrative. Disclosure often arrives in stages afterward. Read our resources on first appearance and what happens after being charged.
If a family member is detained, gather potential surety information, call counsel, and avoid discussing case facts on recorded jail lines. Bring identification and residence details that counsel may need for a release plan. Do not contact the complainant.
Call if you are under investigation, under arrest, or newly released with conditions. Related pages: police investigations and the criminal defence hub.
Call now at (416) 998 8900 or request a confidential consultation.
Generally, speak with a lawyer before giving a statement. You have the right to silence. Trying to talk your way out of an arrest without advice often creates risk.
Upon arrest or detention you generally have a right to consult counsel without delay. Ask to call a lawyer and use the opportunity seriously.
Some people are released from the station with documents and conditions. Others are held for a bail hearing before a justice. See our bail lawyer page for release-plan detail.
Access rules vary by facility and timing. Family help is often most useful in locating sureties and calling counsel, not in discussing the facts of the allegation on recorded lines.
Keep every release order, promise to appear, undertaking, and charge document. Bring them to your lawyer. Missing a court date creates new legal problems.
