Fighting Provincial Offences Charges:

Question: What can a paralegal at KLP Paralegal Services in Ontario do if I’m facing a provincial offence allegation, and how can they help me before my court date?

Answer: If you’re dealing with provincial offence allegations in Ontario, a paralegal at KLP Paralegal Services can help you understand the quasi-criminal, regulatory nature of provincial proceedings, review your disclosure, explain potential consequences of conviction, and prepare a plan for your appearance in Ontario’s Provincial Offences system so you can make informed decisions about next steps.  They can also help you consider defences, request adjournments, and pursue resolution options where appropriate, with support for people across Ontario; call (416) 570-6378 to discuss your matter with a paralegal in confidence and take action early.

Provincial Offence Allegations as Being Charges Considered as Quasi-Criminal Matters

Provincial offences are quasi-crimes or regulatory offences in that they are violation of laws enacted to regulate individual conduct for the protection of society as a whole and they are prosecuted by a Prosecutor as an agent of the state, meaning as a representative of the people; however, unlike criminal offences, upon conviction of a provincial offence a person avoids establishing a criminal record.  With this said, although conviction for a provincial offence fails to establish a criminal record, the consequences for conviction of a provincial offence may still carry heavy penalties and consequences for the convicted person.

The Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.33, as well as the Rules of the Ontario Court (Provincial Division) in Provincial Offences Proceedings, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 200, provide the procedural law that guides the process by which offences within numerous substantive law statutes are prosecuted.  The range in matters falling under the purview of provincial offences is very broad.  Concerns involving provincial offences include: