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Access Periods for Youth Criminal Records

Access Periods for Youth Criminal Records

I was charged as a youth so there is no risk of getting a criminal record, right? Not exactly. In the Canadian criminal justice system it is well-recognized that young persons are to be treated differently than adults, with a particular focus on their diminished moral culpability. In fact, this is a guiding principle as set out in s.3(2) of…

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You’ve Been Subpoenaed… Now What?

You’ve Been Subpoenaed… Now What?

You confirmed your name to a stranger who then gave you a piece of paper with a somewhat familiar word written at the top of the page: subpoena. You’ve been served. What does this paper mean and what are you supposed to do? What is a subpoena? In the context of a criminal cases, a subpoena is a court order…

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The Ins and Outs of Canada’s Cannabis Act

The Ins and Outs of Canada’s Cannabis Act

A Brief History of the Law Relating to Marihuana in Canada Before the Cannabis Act In the 1920s, the Canadian government criminalized cannabis (Opium and Narcotic Drug Act, 1923).  In 1937, someone was arrested and charged with marihuana possession for the first time in Canadian history.  The message at the time was clear: marihuana was not just bad, it was…

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