Sahan Community Network · Toronto
Understanding the Criminal Justice System: Support for Families
Support and information for families
Were you in court but didn’t understand what happened?
When someone in your family is arrested or charged, the criminal justice system can be difficult to understand. Court appearances may be short. A case may be postponed several times. Lawyers and judges may use unfamiliar words. You may attend every appearance and still be unsure what happened.
Sahan Community Network can help explain general criminal-court procedures and common terminology in plain language. We can also help you locate reliable court information and appropriate legal or community services.
If your question requires legal advice about a particular criminal case, we will direct you to Legal Aid Ontario, the accused person’s lawyer or another qualified legal service.
What Sahan can and cannot explain. Sahan provides general public legal information and justice-system navigation. Sahan does not provide criminal defence representation or individualized criminal-law advice through this webpage or community-navigation service.
Sahan can help with: “What does this generally mean?”
If the question becomes “What should this particular accused person do?”, refer to Legal Aid Ontario or the accused person’s lawyer.
Is Someone in Immediate Danger?
Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to life or safety, active violence, a serious injury, or another emergency requiring police, fire or ambulance assistance.
For a Toronto police matter that is not an emergency, call 416-808-2222. Mobile callers can also use *TPS (*877) on supported wireless networks.
Victim Services Toronto 24-hour crisis line: 416-808-7066.
Ontario Victim Support Line: 416-314-2447 in the GTA or 1-888-579-2888 toll-free.
Legal Aid Ontario: 416-979-1446 in Toronto or 1-800-668-8258 toll-free.
For community and social-service navigation, call or text 211.
Were You in Court but Didn’t Understand What Happened?
You may have been sitting in the courtroom or watching online but still not understand what happened. That can happen when appearances are short, several matters are being dealt with at once, the sound is difficult to follow, or legal terminology is unfamiliar.
You may not be part of the criminal case, but you are still affected by what is happening.
Sahan may be able to help you:
- identify the general type of court appearance when reliable information is available;
- understand commonly used criminal-court words and phrases;
- understand the general purpose of that stage of the case;
- locate official court information;
- prepare questions to ask the accused person’s lawyer;
- identify the next reliable source of information; and
- find Legal Aid Ontario or another qualified legal service when the question requires legal advice.
If we do not know what happened, we will not guess. A short court appearance can be misunderstood. Sahan will not reconstruct an incomplete hearing and present assumptions as facts. If the available information is not enough, we will help identify where reliable information may be obtained.
Where Are We in the Case?
A criminal case can move through several stages. Not every case follows every step. Some cases end earlier. Some stages happen in a different order. The procedure can depend on the charge, the court and the circumstances.
Arrest
What this means. Police arrest a person when they have lawful authority to do so. An arrest does not mean the person has been found guilty.
What you may hear in court. You may hear words such as “arrested,” “in custody,” “released,” “undertaking,” or “bail.”
What may happen next. The person may be released by police or held for a bail hearing, depending on the circumstances.
Release or bail
What this means. Bail, also called judicial interim release, is the process that decides whether an accused person will remain detained or be released while the case continues.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “release order,” “undertaking,” “conditions,” “surety,” “detention,” or “reverse onus.”
What may happen next. If released, the accused must follow the conditions. If detained, the case continues while the accused remains in custody unless a later order changes that status.
First court appearance
What this means. The first appearance is usually not a trial. The court may confirm representation, discuss disclosure, address scheduling, or set another date.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “first appearance,” “case management,” “to be spoken to,” “adjourned,” or “return date.”
What may happen next. The case may return to court while counsel obtains disclosure, receives instructions or completes other steps.
Disclosure
What this means. Disclosure is information about the prosecution’s case that the Crown provides to the accused or defence, subject to legal limits.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “disclosure,” “outstanding disclosure,” “police notes,” “video,” or “witness statements.”
What may happen next. Counsel may review disclosure, request missing material, advise the accused, and prepare for the next stage.
Case management and pre-trial steps
What this means. The court and lawyers may address readiness, scheduling and issues that need to be resolved before a plea or trial. Some cases involve judicial pre-trials or other applications.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “pre-trial,” “resolution,” “application,” “trial date,” “set date,” or “adjournment.”
What may happen next. The case may resolve without a trial, be scheduled for trial, or require further procedural steps.
Resolution or trial
What this means. A case can resolve in different lawful ways. If it goes to trial, the Crown must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “plea,” “guilty,” “not guilty,” “trial,” “Crown’s case,” “defence,” or “reasonable doubt.”
What may happen next. The case may end with a withdrawal, stay, acquittal or conviction, depending on what occurs.
Verdict
What this means. After a trial, the court decides whether the Crown proved the charge. A conviction is a finding of guilt. An acquittal means the accused was found not guilty of the charge at trial.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “guilty,” “not guilty,” “convicted,” “acquitted,” or “reasons for judgment.”
What may happen next. If convicted, the matter moves to sentencing. If acquitted, the prosecution of that charge ends unless a lawful appeal is brought.
Sentencing
What this means. If the accused is convicted or pleads guilty, the court decides the sentence according to the Criminal Code and the circumstances of the case.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “custody,” “probation,” “fine,” “restitution,” “concurrent,” “consecutive,” “credit,” or “parole eligibility.”
What may happen next. The sentence is administered by provincial or federal correctional authorities, depending on the sentence and legal status. An appeal may also be possible.
Possible appeal
What this means. An appeal asks a higher court to review a lower-court decision for a recognized legal basis. It is not automatically a new trial.
What you may hear in court. You may hear “notice of appeal,” “appellant,” “respondent,” “appeal counsel,” “conviction appeal,” or “sentence appeal.”
What may happen next. The appropriate appeal court depends on the type of proceeding. Appeal deadlines can be short, so legal advice should be obtained promptly.
Start Here: Arrested or Charged
These words are used often in criminal court. They do not all mean the same thing.
Being arrested or charged does not mean someone has been found guilty. A person charged with an offence is presumed innocent unless and until guilt is established according to law. At a criminal trial, the Crown must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This page focuses on criminal charges. Provincial offences and tickets can follow different procedures.
Important Court Word: “Remanded”
The word “remanded” can be confusing because context matters. In a custody context, a remand order or warrant can authorize an accused person to remain in custody until a later court date. Court participants may also use language about a matter being put over or returning on another date.
Do not assume from the word “remanded” alone that you know whether the accused was released, detained, or what the next appearance is for. If the meaning is unclear, check the actual release or detention order, the next court date, or ask counsel or court staff for procedural information.
Sahan will not guess from one word. If you tell us only that the case was “remanded,” we may need reliable court information or a document before we can explain what appears to have happened.
Who Is Who in Criminal Court?
| Role | Plain-language explanation |
|---|---|
| The Accused | The person charged with the criminal offence. |
| Defence Lawyer | Represents the accused and gives the accused legal advice. The defence lawyer does not automatically represent the accused person’s parents, spouse or other relatives. |
| Duty Counsel | A Legal Aid Ontario lawyer who may provide advice or assistance to an eligible person who does not have their own lawyer. Duty counsel may not be the same lawyer at every appearance. |
| Crown Attorney | A prosecutor who conducts the prosecution on behalf of the public. The Crown is not the accused person’s lawyer. |
| Federal Prosecutor | In some federal prosecutions, the prosecutor is from the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. In Ontario, this includes prosecutions under federal laws such as the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The federal prosecutor is not the accused person’s lawyer. |
| Judge | A neutral judicial officer who decides legal issues and, in a judge-alone trial, decides whether the Crown proved guilt. The judge does not represent either side. |
| Justice of the Peace | A judicial officer who has important responsibilities in criminal proceedings, including many bail and first-appearance matters. |
| Court Clerk / Court Staff | Court staff manage court records, scheduling and courtroom administration. They can provide procedural information within their role, but they cannot give legal advice. |
| Police | Police investigate suspected offences, may arrest or charge where legally authorized, and may provide evidence to prosecutors. Police do not decide whether an accused is guilty. |
| Witness | A person who gives evidence in a proceeding. |
| Victim / Complainant | A complainant is generally the person whose allegation or experience is before the criminal court. “Victim” is also a legal term used in Canadian victims’ rights legislation. Using either term does not change the Crown’s burden to prove a charge. |
| Court Interpreter | A person who provides interpretation for a court participant when interpretation has been arranged or ordered. A court interpreter is not the participant’s lawyer or advocate. |
| Surety | A person accepted by the court to take specified responsibility for supervising an accused who is released on bail. This can carry serious responsibilities. |
| Correctional Authorities | Provincial correctional services administer provincial custody and remand. Correctional Service Canada administers federal sentences of two years or more and supervises federal offenders on conditional release. |
| Appellate Lawyer / Appeal Counsel | A lawyer who handles an appeal. A different lawyer appearing after conviction or sentence may be appeal counsel, but do not assume that without reliable information. |
| Family Member / Public Observer | A parent, spouse, sibling or other relative may attend a public proceeding when permitted. Family relationship alone does not ordinarily make a person a party to an adult accused’s criminal case. |
Can Family Members Attend Criminal Court?
Canada’s open-court principle means many criminal proceedings are open to the public. In the Ontario Court of Justice, members of the public are generally welcome to attend in person unless the public is excluded by law or by court order.
That does not create an absolute right to attend every proceeding. Access may be limited by legislation, a judge’s order, a publication ban, a sealing order, witness-exclusion rules, youth-justice rules, courtroom capacity, security requirements or the way a particular proceeding is being conducted.
If you are a witness who has not yet testified, you may be required to remain outside the courtroom under a witness-exclusion order. If you are unsure whether you may attend, contact the courthouse before the appearance.
Observing is different from participating. Being allowed to sit in the courtroom or watch a proceeding online does not make a parent or other relative a party to an adult accused person’s criminal case.
Recording and sharing court proceedings
Do not record, photograph, screen-capture, livestream or broadcast a court proceeding unless the court has lawfully authorized it. Ontario court rules also require people to comply with publication bans, sealing orders and other restrictions. Members of the public who want to make an audio recording only for note-taking must first obtain the express permission of the presiding judicial officer, and the recording cannot be shared.
Virtual Court: What Families Should Know
Ontario criminal court is no longer operating under the broad public Zoom-link practices used during the pandemic. Some proceedings are in person. Some are hybrid. A small number may be virtual-only.
Under the Ontario Court of Justice Interim Observer Policy updated January 21, 2026, a member of the public who wants to observe a virtual-only proceeding by Zoom must request permission through the Court’s Watching Court Online process. For a hybrid proceeding, the public may attend in person or seek permission to observe virtually through the same process. Final access remains subject to judicial direction and any legal restriction.
A victim or complainant who wants to observe virtually should follow the Court’s current instructions, which may include contacting the local Crown Attorney’s office or Victim/Witness Assistance Program.
Court Interpreters and Language Access
Ontario court proceedings are conducted in English or French. Official interpretation may be available for people who need it in criminal proceedings, but the process depends on the person’s role in the case.
Ontario’s current court-interpreter guidance specifically addresses people such as accused persons, sureties, counsel and witnesses. It does not state that a parent, spouse or other relative attending only as a public observer automatically receives a court interpreter because they do not understand English.
If you need language assistance to participate formally in a proceeding, raise the issue with counsel or the court as early as possible. If you are attending only as an observer, contact the courthouse before the appearance to ask what language-access options may be available. Do not assume that an interpreter will be provided for a public observer.
Sahan language assistance is not court interpretation. Sahan may help explain general terminology in a language available through its community services. That does not make Sahan an official court interpreter and does not replace interpretation that must be arranged through the court for a formal participant.
Supporting Someone Without Becoming Part of the Case
A family member can care deeply about an accused person without becoming a party to the criminal proceeding. Family support may include:
- attending public court appearances when permitted;
- maintaining appropriate family contact;
- helping the accused connect with their lawyer;
- assisting with practical family needs;
- learning about general court procedures;
- obtaining support for yourself;
- preparing appropriate questions for counsel; and
- helping organize documents that the person is legally entitled to possess.
Family attendance should not be described as a way to influence the judge, verdict or sentence. The court must decide the case according to law and the evidence before it.
Bail and Release
Bail is also called judicial interim release. It is the process for deciding whether an accused person will remain detained or can be released while the criminal case continues.
Detention
The accused remains in custody under lawful authority.
Bail hearing
A court hearing where release or detention is decided.
Release order
A court order allowing the accused to be released, usually with terms that must be followed.
Undertaking
A form of release document containing promises or conditions that the accused must obey.
Conditions
Rules the accused must follow while released. Conditions vary by case.
Surety
A person approved by the court to take specified responsibility for supervising an accused on bail.
Breach
An allegation that a release condition or other court order was not followed.
Detention order
An order keeping the accused in custody while the case continues, subject to any lawful review or later order.
Reverse onus
In some situations set out by law, the accused must show why release is justified rather than the Crown carrying the usual burden to justify detention.
2026 current-law update
Previous rule. Before July 15, 2026, the Criminal Code already contained reverse-onus bail rules for specified situations, including some serious repeat violent, intimate-partner-violence, terrorism, national-security and drug-trafficking cases.
Current rule. The Bail and Sentencing Reform Act expanded reverse-onus categories, changed factors courts must consider, expanded certain look-back rules, and added a restriction on naming some people with a serious conviction in the previous ten years as sureties unless the statutory exception is met. This page does not list every category. Official information: Department of Justice Canada — Bill C-14.
Thinking about becoming a surety? Being a surety can create serious legal and practical responsibilities. Do not agree to become a surety based only on information from this webpage. Ask the accused person’s lawyer or duty counsel what the proposed responsibilities mean in that particular case. Sahan does not coach people through a bail plan or tell someone whether they should act as a surety.
Disclosure
Disclosure is information about the prosecution’s case that the Crown provides to the accused or defence so the accused can know the case they must answer, subject to legal limits such as privilege or relevance.
Disclosure can include different kinds of information, such as the charging document, police notes, witness statements, photographs, video, audio, financial records, forensic information or other material. The contents depend on the case.
Disclosure matters because defence counsel needs enough information to advise the accused and prepare the case. Sometimes a court appearance is postponed because disclosure is incomplete or additional material has been requested.
Receiving disclosure does not mean the accused is guilty. Family members are not automatically entitled to receive the accused person’s disclosure. Disclosure can contain private, sensitive or legally restricted information.
Do not upload disclosure to Sahan’s website. Do not send police disclosure, Crown disclosure, witness statements, offence videos, photographs, lawyer communications or plea discussions through a website form. If document organization is needed, contact Sahan first and follow the privacy instructions provided for the service.
Why Does the Case Keep Getting Postponed?
A court postponement is usually called an adjournment. An adjournment moves the matter to another date. Several adjournments do not, by themselves, tell you whether the case is going well or badly.
General reasons a criminal case may be adjourned include:
- disclosure is still being obtained or reviewed;
- the accused is retaining counsel or dealing with Legal Aid;
- counsel needs instructions;
- further investigation or records are outstanding;
- the case is being scheduled for a pre-trial, application, plea or trial;
- a legal issue must be addressed;
- a participant is unavailable; or
- another procedural or scheduling reason applies.
The reason in a particular case may be different. If you attended court and did not understand why the matter was adjourned, ask counsel or use reliable court information rather than assuming the reason.
Guilty Plea, Trial and Verdict
Plea
The accused’s formal response to a charge. Common pleas include guilty or not guilty.
Guilty plea
The accused admits guilt to an offence and the court must deal with the plea according to law. A guilty plea leads to sentencing.
Not-guilty plea
The accused does not admit guilt and the prosecution must prove the charge at trial if the case proceeds.
Trial
A hearing where evidence and legal arguments are presented and the court determines whether the Crown proved the charge.
Proof beyond a reasonable doubt
The criminal standard the Crown must meet to obtain a conviction.
Conviction
A finding of guilt, or the result after a guilty plea is accepted.
Acquittal
A finding of not guilty at trial. It means the Crown did not obtain a conviction on that charge.
Withdrawal
The Crown ends a charge by withdrawing it, where legally permitted.
Stay of proceedings
A legal step that stops the prosecution. The consequences and whether proceedings can later continue depend on the type of stay and the law.
Verdict
The formal decision on guilt after a trial.
An acquittal is not a technical court declaration that the accused is “innocent.” It means the accused was not convicted because the legal test for guilt was not met on the charge at trial.
Sentencing
If an accused is convicted after trial or pleads guilty, the court imposes a sentence. Sentencing is a separate stage from deciding guilt. The judge applies the Criminal Code and considers the offence, the offender’s degree of responsibility, aggravating and mitigating factors, relevant sentencing principles and any other legally admissible information.
Imprisonment
A sentence requiring the person to serve time in custody.
Probation
A court order requiring the person to follow conditions in the community for a specified period.
Fine
Money ordered to be paid as a criminal penalty where the law permits or requires it.
Restitution
Money ordered in appropriate cases to compensate a victim for specified losses or damage caused by the offence.
Victim surcharge
An additional amount imposed under the Criminal Code after a conviction or discharge, subject to the court’s statutory power to reduce or waive it in specified circumstances.
Concurrent sentences
Two or more sentences served at the same time, subject to the law and how the judge structures the sentence.
Consecutive sentences
Two or more sentences served one after another. The Criminal Code requires or permits consecutive sentences in specified situations.
Pre-sentence custody credit
A sentencing judge may give credit for time the offender already spent in custody because of the offence. The Criminal Code generally permits one day of credit for each day in custody and, where the statutory test is met, up to one and one-half days for each day. The judge must record the credit granted.
Parole eligibility
The earliest point at which a person may be considered for parole under the applicable law. Eligibility is not the same as release.
Statutory release
For most federal offenders serving a fixed-length sentence, release under supervision occurs after two-thirds of the sentence, subject to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act and possible detention in specified circumstances. Life and indeterminate sentences do not receive ordinary statutory release.
2026 current-law update
Previous rule. Before July 15, 2026, courts already considered aggravating and mitigating factors, could impose concurrent or consecutive sentences as authorized by law, and conditional sentence orders were unavailable for several categories of serious offences.
Current rule. The Bail and Sentencing Reform Act added or expanded aggravating factors, created or expanded consecutive-sentence requirements or considerations for specified offences, gave denunciation and deterrence primary emphasis for certain repeat or organized offending, and made conditional sentence orders unavailable for additional serious sexual offences. These reforms do not create one automatic sentence for every offence. Official information: Department of Justice Canada — Bill C-14.
Do not calculate someone’s release date using this webpage. The sentence announced by a judge, credit for pre-sentence custody, sentence administration, parole eligibility, statutory release, detention rules and any appeal can interact in complicated ways. Ask defence or appellate counsel and the appropriate correctional or parole authority for case-specific information.
What Does “Life With 25 Years” Mean?
If a court imposes life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility, the sentence is life imprisonment. The “25 years” is not a 25-year sentence. It is a period during which full parole cannot be granted under the applicable law.
At the end of the parole-ineligibility period, release is not automatic. Where the Parole Board of Canada has jurisdiction, the Board decides whether parole should be granted according to the law and its assessment of risk and other relevant factors.
For first-degree murder, the Criminal Code generally provides life imprisonment with 25 years of parole ineligibility. For second-degree murder, the sentence is also life, with the period before parole eligibility generally set by the court within the range provided by the Criminal Code. Other life sentences can have different parole rules.
A person who is eventually granted parole while serving a life sentence remains under a life sentence. Life and indeterminate sentences do not receive ordinary statutory release.
Parole eligibility is not the same as the sentence ending. Do not tell a family that “25 years” means the person will be released after 25 years. Eligibility means the person may become legally eligible to be considered for parole; it does not guarantee parole.
Provincial and Federal Custody
Families often hear the words “jail,” “detention centre,” “correctional centre” and “penitentiary” without knowing the difference.
Remand custody
A person who is detained while awaiting trial, sentencing or another criminal proceeding is ordinarily held in a provincial correctional institution.
Provincial sentence
Ontario correctional services generally administer custodial sentences of less than two years.
Federal sentence
Correctional Service Canada administers federal sentences of two years or more and supervises federal offenders on conditional release in the community.
Transfer after sentence
A person may remain temporarily in a provincial institution while arrangements are made for transfer to the appropriate federal institution. Individual placement decisions depend on correctional administration and the person’s legal status.
Correctional authorities, not Sahan, can answer case-specific questions about an institution, transfer, sentence administration or lawful release information.
What Is an Appeal?
An appeal asks a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court on a recognized legal basis. An appeal is different from a trial. It is not automatically a new trial and witnesses do not simply testify again because an appeal has been filed.
Appeal of conviction
An accused who was convicted may seek review of the conviction on legally available grounds.
Appeal of sentence
An accused may seek review of the sentence on legally available grounds. The Crown can also have appeal rights in circumstances set by the Criminal Code.
Appellant
The party who brings the appeal.
Respondent
The party responding to the appeal.
Appeal counsel
A lawyer representing a party in the appeal. Appeal counsel may be different from trial counsel.
Where the appeal goes
In Ontario, summary-conviction appeals are generally first heard by the Superior Court of Justice. Indictable criminal appeals are generally heard by the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Some further appeals require leave and follow different rules.
Appeal deadlines can be short. Anyone considering an appeal should obtain qualified legal advice promptly. This webpage does not calculate an appeal deadline or assess whether an appeal has merit.
If a different lawyer appears after conviction or sentencing, that lawyer may be handling an appeal. Do not assume that this is the reason without reliable information.
Questions I Want to Understand
Use this checklist when speaking with the accused person’s lawyer, duty counsel or another qualified legal service. You do not need to know the answers before asking for help.
- What charge or charges is my family member facing?
- What happened at the last court appearance?
- What stage is the case at?
- What is the next court date?
- What is expected to happen on that date?
- Is my family member detained or released?
- Are there release conditions?
- Has disclosure been received?
- Is more disclosure expected?
- Has a trial date been scheduled?
- Was there a guilty plea?
- Was there a finding of guilt?
- If there was a conviction, what sentence was imposed?
- Is there an appeal?
- Is the current lawyer trial counsel or appeal counsel?
- What information is the lawyer allowed to discuss with the family?
- Does the accused need to authorize the lawyer to speak with us?
- Is there anything the family is expected to do?
- Who should we contact if we still do not understand?
Privacy reminder. The accused person is the lawyer’s client. The lawyer may be unable to discuss confidential information with family members unless the client authorizes disclosure or another legal exception applies.
When the Accused Is an Adult
When the accused is an adult, a parent does not automatically control the criminal case or receive confidential information merely because they are the parent. The defence lawyer represents the accused. The accused is the client.
Ontario lawyers must protect confidential client information. A lawyer generally cannot disclose that information to relatives unless the client has authorized the disclosure or another legal exception applies. Solicitor-client privilege also protects qualifying confidential communications between lawyer and client for the purpose of seeking or giving legal advice.
The accused may authorize counsel to communicate specified information to a parent, spouse or another person. The scope of any authorization should be handled by the accused and counsel. Sahan does not advise a family how privilege should be waived.
When the Young Person Is Under 18
Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act creates a separate legal framework for young persons. Youth cases have different rules concerning procedure, bail, sentencing, records, privacy, publication and the involvement of parents or other adults.
As a general rule, the identity of a young person dealt with under the Youth Criminal Justice Act is protected from publication, subject to statutory exceptions. Youth court records and public case information are also subject to special restrictions. Do not publish a young person’s name or identifying information simply because you heard it in court or saw it elsewhere.
Federal youth-justice law was amended in 2026. Changes included amendments concerning the meaning of “violent offence,” an urgent police-publication exception in narrowly defined circumstances, sentence administration, and record provisions. Some C-14 record-related amendments were designated to come into force later by order in council. Because youth law is specialized and changing, families should use current official information and qualified youth criminal counsel for case-specific questions.
Youth cases need youth-specific advice. Sahan can explain general youth-justice terminology and help locate Legal Aid or official information. Sahan does not advise a young person how to conduct a youth criminal case.
For related family and youth navigation, see Youth Safety, Peer Pressure & Positive Choices.
If You Are the Victim or Family of a Victim
This page is not only for families of accused persons. Victims and their families can also experience fear, trauma, financial effects, court uncertainty and difficulty understanding what is happening.
Victim Services Toronto, Ontario’s Victim Support Line and the Victim/Witness Assistance Program can provide information, support and referrals. If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, call 911.
Publication bans can restrict what information may be published, broadcast or shared about a criminal case. Ontario courts warn observers that it is their responsibility to identify and comply with any publication ban or other restriction. A publication ban does not necessarily mean the courtroom is closed.
2026 victims’ rights update
Most Protecting Victims Act reforms came into force July 18, 2026. Among other changes, the reforms strengthened victims’ rights to respect and information and changed aspects of how publication bans are addressed, including victim consultation and requests to vary or revoke certain bans. Case-specific publication-ban questions should be directed to the Crown, Victim/Witness Assistance Program or qualified legal counsel. Official information: Department of Justice Canada — Bill C-16.
Sahan will not tell a victim what position to take in a prosecution and will not minimize the harm caused by crime.
See also Women & Family Support for safety, family and community-service navigation in Toronto.
Family Wellbeing
Criminal proceedings can affect the whole family. Family members may experience fear, confusion, grief, shame or stigma, financial pressure, sleep problems, conflict, isolation and uncertainty.
You are allowed to seek support for yourself while a criminal case is continuing. Sahan can help locate community counselling, mental-health navigation, family support and other services. You can also call or text 211 to find services available in Toronto.
A family is not responsible for an adult relative’s alleged or proven conduct. Supporting an accused person also does not require anyone to dismiss or minimize the experience of a victim.
How Sahan Can Help
Sahan Community Network provides general public legal information and justice-system navigation. Depending on the information available, Sahan may help community members:
- understand general criminal justice procedures;
- understand commonly used criminal-court terminology;
- identify the apparent stage of a proceeding when reliable information is available;
- locate official court information;
- understand publicly available information;
- organize documents the person is legally entitled to possess;
- prepare questions for a lawyer;
- make appropriate telephone or online inquiries;
- locate Legal Aid Ontario or another qualified legal service;
- locate victim and family supports;
- obtain language-access assistance within Sahan’s community-service capabilities; and
- connect with appropriate government and community resources.
If we do not have enough reliable information to understand what occurred in a particular court appearance, we will not guess. We will help identify the next reliable source instead.
Related Sahan pages: Legal Information, Navigation & Notary Services · Women & Family Support · Youth Safety, Peer Pressure & Positive Choices
What Sahan Cannot Do
Sahan Community Network does not, through this service:
- act as the accused person’s criminal defence lawyer;
- represent an accused person in criminal court;
- represent a victim;
- act as Crown counsel;
- interfere with a police investigation;
- investigate allegations;
- determine guilt or innocence;
- predict a verdict;
- predict a sentence;
- tell an accused whether to plead guilty or not guilty;
- advise whether someone should testify;
- determine whether evidence is admissible;
- assess whether a Charter application will succeed;
- determine whether an appeal will succeed;
- provide individualized criminal legal advice through the webpage;
- promise that a family member can attend a particular court proceeding;
- override solicitor-client confidentiality;
- obtain confidential information from counsel without proper authority;
- calculate guaranteed release dates;
- act as a court interpreter; or
- guarantee anyone’s safety.
The bright-line rule. Sahan can explain “What does this generally mean?” If the question becomes “What should this particular accused person do?”, the person should be referred to qualified legal counsel.
Find legal help
Legal Aid Ontario: 416-979-1446 (Toronto) or 1-800-668-8258 toll-free. TTY 711. Contact Legal Aid Ontario
Toronto Criminal Duty Counsel: 416-646-1286. Ontario Court of Justice Toronto criminal duty counsel
Toronto
Sahan Community Network
1735 Kipling Avenue, Lower Level, 101, Toronto, Ontario M9R 2Y8
Telephone: +1 416-668-9156
Ask Sahan for Help
Official Court Information
Use official court sources when checking dates, court locations and public-access information. An online list or case search may not show every matter or every piece of information.
- Ontario Court of Justice — Find My Case — Daily Court Lists and the adult criminal court case-search tool can help locate certain public case information. Youth matters and cases subject to access restrictions may not appear. A search result may not reflect a very recent publication ban.
- Ontario Court of Justice — Watching Court Online — Current process for a member of the public to request permission to observe eligible Zoom proceedings.
- Ontario Court of Justice — Public Access to Court Proceedings — Current guidance about attending proceedings, recording restrictions, publication bans and access to court information.
- Ontario Court of Justice — Criminal Court Step-by-Step — Official plain-language information about stages of an Ontario criminal case.
- Superior Court of Justice — Official information about Ontario Superior Court criminal proceedings, including trials and summary-conviction appeals. Toronto Criminal Trial Office: 416-327-5605.
- Court of Appeal for Ontario — Official information about Ontario appeals, including current criminal appeal rules and practice directions.
- Ontario courthouse locations — Official Ontario courthouse contact and service information.
Do not rely on Google or social media for a court date. Use the official court list, case-search tool, courthouse or counsel. Public information can be restricted, incomplete or updated after an online list is posted.
Plain-Language Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Accused | The person charged with a criminal offence. |
| Acquittal | A finding of not guilty after trial. |
| Adjournment | A postponement of a court matter to another date. |
| Appeal | A request for a higher court to review a lower-court decision on a legally available basis. |
| Appellant | The party who brings an appeal. |
| Bail | The process for deciding whether an accused will remain detained or be released while the case continues. |
| Bail hearing | A hearing where the court decides release or detention. |
| Breach | An allegation that a court order, release condition or other legal requirement was not followed. |
| Charge | A formal allegation that a person committed an offence. |
| Concurrent sentences | Sentences structured to be served at the same time. |
| Consecutive sentences | Sentences structured to be served one after another. |
| Conviction | A finding of guilt, including after an accepted guilty plea. |
| Crown | The prosecutor acting in the public interest. The Crown is not the accused person’s lawyer. |
| Defence | The accused and the lawyer representing the accused, where represented. |
| Detention | Keeping an accused in custody under lawful authority. |
| Disclosure | Information about the prosecution’s case provided to the accused or defence, subject to legal limits. |
| Duty counsel | A Legal Aid Ontario lawyer who may provide advice or assistance to an eligible person without their own lawyer. |
| Guilty plea | A formal admission of guilt to an offence that the court deals with according to law. |
| Indictable offence | An offence prosecuted by indictment. Indictable matters generally follow procedures different from summary matters, and some are tried in the Superior Court of Justice. |
| Judge | A neutral judicial officer who decides legal issues and court outcomes within the judge’s jurisdiction. |
| Justice of the peace | A judicial officer with important criminal responsibilities, including many bail matters. |
| Parole | Conditional release from custody before the sentence is fully served in custody, under the applicable law and supervision. |
| Parole eligibility | The earliest point when a person may become eligible to be considered for parole. It is not a release date. |
| Probation | A sentence or order requiring a person to follow conditions in the community for a specified time. |
| Remand | In a custody context, continued detention until a later court date. The word can be used in different procedural contexts, so the actual order matters. |
| Release conditions | Rules an accused must follow while released. |
| Respondent | The party responding to an appeal. |
| Sentence | The legal consequence imposed by the court after a conviction. |
| Statutory release | For most fixed-length federal sentences, release under supervision after two-thirds of the sentence, subject to the federal law and possible detention in specified circumstances. It is not available for life or indeterminate sentences. |
| Stay of proceedings | A legal step that stops the prosecution. Its effect depends on the type of stay and the law. |
| Surety | A person accepted by the court to take specified responsibility for supervising an accused on bail. |
| Trial | A hearing where evidence and legal arguments are presented and guilt is decided according to the criminal standard. |
| Verdict | The formal decision on guilt after trial. |
| Withdrawal | The Crown ends a charge by withdrawing it, where legally permitted. |
Important Information
This webpage provides general public legal information and justice-system navigation. It is not criminal legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship with Sahan Community Network. Criminal cases are fact-specific. Court rules, legislation and procedures can change. For advice about what an accused person should do, contact the accused person’s lawyer, Legal Aid Ontario or another qualified legal professional.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Programs, telephone numbers and court procedures can change. Confirm current information directly with the official source. Resources last reviewed: August 23, 2026.
Verified resource directory
External organizations operate independently from Sahan. Confirm current information directly with the provider. Resources last reviewed: August 23, 2026.
911 Emergency Services
Immediate threat to life or safety; active violence; serious injury; police, fire or ambulance emergency. Call 911.
Toronto Police Service — Non-Emergency
Toronto police assistance for a matter that is not an emergency. Call 416-808-2222. Mobile callers can also use *TPS (*877) on supported wireless networks.
Victim Services Toronto
24/7 crisis response and support for people affected by crime or sudden tragedy. Call 416-808-7066.
Ontario Victim Support Line
Province-wide victim information, referrals and support; can also connect to victim services. GTA: 416-314-2447. Toll-free: 1-888-579-2888.
Victim/Witness Assistance Program
Court-based information and support for eligible victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings. Toronto 10 Armoury: 416-212-2705. Victim Support Line: 1-888-579-2888.
Legal Aid Ontario
Legal information, legal-aid applications and access to legal services subject to eligibility and service rules. Toronto: 416-979-1446. Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258. TTY 711.
Toronto Criminal Duty Counsel — Legal Aid Ontario
Criminal duty counsel at the Ontario Court of Justice, 10 Armoury Street. Call 416-646-1286. TTY 711.
Ontario Court of Justice — Toronto, 10 Armoury Street
Toronto criminal courthouse information. Court staff provide procedural and administrative information, not legal advice. Call 416-212-2701.
Ontario Court of Justice — Find My Case
Daily Court Lists and adult criminal court case information and search tools. If online information is unavailable, Toronto 10 Armoury: 416-212-2701.
Ontario Court of Justice — Watching Court Online
Current public observer permission process for eligible Zoom proceedings. Use the court’s online request process and courthouse contact.
Superior Court of Justice — Toronto Criminal
Criminal proceedings in the Superior Court, including trials and summary-conviction appeals. Criminal Trial Office: 416-327-5605.
Court of Appeal for Ontario
Official information about Ontario appeals, criminal appeal rules, practice directions and case status. Call 416-327-5020 or toll-free 1-855-718-1756.
211 Ontario
Navigation to community, social, health and government services. Phone and text service is available 24/7 in 150+ languages. Call or text 211. Toll-free: 1-877-330-3213.
Ontario Correctional Services
Information about Ontario correctional facilities and provincial custody. Ontario oversees remand and custodial sentences of less than two years. Use the official facility or contact directory for the institution or Ministry service.
Correctional Service Canada
Administers federal sentences of two years or more and supervises federal offenders under conditional release. Ontario/Nunavut Region: 613-536-4527. National general inquiries: 613-992-5891.
Parole Board of Canada
Independent administrative tribunal that makes parole decisions and certain other conditional-release decisions under federal law. Ontario/Nunavut Region: 613-634-3857. National Office: 613-954-7474.
Public Prosecution Service of Canada — Toronto
Federal prosecution service. In Ontario it prosecutes federal offences including Controlled Drugs and Substances Act matters. Toronto 10 Armoury: 416-506-0539.
Resources last reviewed: August 23, 2026