Criminal Law

Indictable Offences

Serious crimes that carry more severe penalties than summary conviction offences

Abetting

encouraging another person to commit a crime

Knowledge

knowing certain facts, which provides the necessary mens rea for an offence

Accessory after the fact

a person who helps an offender escape detention

Summary conviction offences

minor criminal offences that are tried immediately

Criminal Law

The area of law that defines criminal offenses and prescribes punishments for those offenses.

Attempt

the first step toward committing the crime

Conspiracy

planning and acting together for an unlawful purpose

Hybrid Offences

offences that are punishable as indictable or summary offences

Motive

cause or reason to commit a criminal act

Mens Rea

Latin phrase meaning a guilty mind

Due Diligence

taking reasonable care not to commit an offence

Strict Liability Offences

criminal liability in which intent is assumed to be present but need not be proven

Recklessness

failing to pay attention to the possible injuries that might result from an action

Actus Reus

latin phrase meaning a wrongful action

Absolute Liability Offences

crime where you can be found guilty even if you didn’t mean to do anything wrong

Aggravated Assault

intent to wound maim or disfigure

Culpable Homicide

blamable killing

Soliciting

communication for the purpose of prostitution

Euthanasia

painlessly putting to death as an act of mercy a person suffering from a incurable and disabling disease

Arson

intentional damage by fire

Colour of right

anything that serves to indicate a person has true ownership of something

Theft

the act of fraudulently taking something

Robbery

theft involving violence, threat of violence, assault, or the use of offensive weapons

Prohibited Weapons

any weapon that has been declared prohibited

Mischief

the deliberate destruction or damage of property

Causation

the cause of death, usually an issue in murder trials

First-degree murder

planned or deliberate killing

False pretenses

a representation known to be false

procure

to live off the earnings of a prostitution

infanticide

killing an infant shortly after birth

abduction

forcible removal of a child

Drug

any substance that by its chemical nature alters structure or function in a living organism

Roadside screening test

a breath test taken to determine if further breath samples should be given

Launder

to transfer money obtained from drug related or other criminal activities

Demerit points

points that accumulate resulting in a drivers license being suspended

double doctoring/ prescription shopping

trying to obtain the same narcotic prescription from different doctors

random virtue testing

police investigation of an individual for drug offences without having reasonable and probable grounds for so doing

controlled substance

any substance contained in schedules 1-4 of the controlled drug and substances act

entrap

to find out if someone is a drug dealer by encouraging them to sell drugs

traffic

to manufacture, sell or distribute illegal drugs.

information

a written document made by a police officer stating reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed, typically used to obtain an arrest warrant or search warrant.

remand

to be sent back into custody

polygraph test

a lie defector test

plea negotiation

pleading guilty for a lesser charge

appearance notice

a document that names the offence with which the accused is charged

disclosure

the process of revealing all evidence to both sides

search

to look for evidence related to a charge

adjournment

setting a trial over for a later date

warrant for arrest

a formal document naming the accused and ordering the arrest

duty counsel

a lawyer on duty at the court

undertaking

a document signed by the accused with conditions to follow

summons

an order to appear in court at at a certain time and place

search warrant

a document giving police the right to search a specific location

recognizance

a document stating that the accused recognizes that he or she is being charged wand promises to appear in court on a certain date

forensic science

the use of medical and science to solve legal problems

arrest

to deprive a person of his or her liberty in order to prevent the person from committing another offence