Saint John Criminal Law Lawyers

Introduction

Saint John, NB sees the same core mix of criminal charges as the rest of the province — impaired driving, theft, assault, drug offences under the CDSA, and mischief — with procedure handled at the local courthouse under NB's implementation of the Criminal Code. Whether you have just been arrested or are preparing for a first court date, early legal advice from a criminal defence lawyer materially improves the range of outcomes available to you.

Common criminal issues in Saint John

Criminal matters in Saint John start with an arrest or a promise to appear, then move to a first appearance in NB court, disclosure from the Crown, a decision on election and plea, and either resolution or trial. Sentencing in the more common charges — impaired driving, mischief, assault, uttering threats, theft under $5,000 — is guided by both statute (mandatory minimums where they apply) and appellate case law from the NB Court of Appeal. Defence lawyers assess Charter issues (unlawful search, right to counsel, delay under the Jordan framework) at the disclosure stage.

How a Saint John criminal defence lawyer helps

Defence counsel reviews the Crown's disclosure package, identifies Charter issues (unlawful search, right to counsel breach, unreasonable delay under the Jordan framework), advises on plea versus trial, negotiates with the Crown, and represents you in court through bail, resolution, or trial. On sentencing, they present mitigating circumstances and precedent from NB case law to argue for the lowest available disposition.