Canadian Criminal Justice System

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to the Canadian Criminal Justice System, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Supreme Court of Canada

The final court of appeal in Canada, hearing cases that raise important legal issues.

Statute Law

Written laws enacted by the legislative body, like the Parliament of Canada.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle that mandates lower courts to follow precedents set by higher courts.

Indictable Offence

A serious criminal offence that carries a severe penalty, typically defined as 2 years or more in prison.

Summary Offence

A less serious offence punishable by incarceration not exceeding 6 months and/or a maximum fine of $5,000.

Hybrid Offence

An offence that can be prosecuted as either a summary offence or an indictable offence based on the prosecutor's discretion.

Case Law

Law established by previous court decisions, based on the rule of stare decisis.

Probation

A sentence allowing an individual to remain in the community under specific conditions instead of being incarcerated.

Parole

A conditional release from incarceration after serving part of a sentence, allowing re-integration into the community.

Judicial Interim Release Hearing

A court proceeding to determine if an accused can be released prior to trial or must remain in custody.