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Indictable Offences

Trusted Criminal Defence & Indictable Offences Lawyers in Mississauga & the GTA

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Criminal Defence

Being investigated or charged under the Criminal Code of Canada is an overwhelming experience that directly threatens your livelihood, reputation, and personal liberty. Whether facing summary allegations or severe indictable offences, the consequences of a conviction can be permanent, resulting in restrictive probation conditions, substantial financial penalties, driving prohibitions, a criminal record, or incarceration.

At Heiblo Law Professional Corporation, led by Ibrahim Heiblo, we provide resolute, detail-oriented criminal defence representation. From initial police contact and bail hearings to pre-trial disclosure evaluations and trial advocacy in the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice, we hold the prosecution strictly to its constitutional burden of proof.

Our Services

Comprehensive Criminal Defence Services

Judicial Interim Release (Bail Hearings & Bail Reviews)

Securing immediate release from custody under the least restrictive conditions possible is the urgent priority following an arrest. We:

  • Coordinate with family sureties to support your release.
  • Craft enforceable release supervision proposals.
  • Advocate vigorously at bail hearings and Superior Court bail reviews.

Serious Indictable Allegations

An indictable offence represents the most severe category of prosecution in Canadian criminal law, carrying substantial potential terms of imprisonment. We represent clients facing:

  • Violent Offences: Aggravated assault and related serious allegations.
  • Weapons & Break and Enter: Weapons allegations and break and enter charges.
  • Fraud & Commercial Offences: Large-scale financial fraud and complex commercial enterprise offences.

Impaired Driving, Over Legal Limit & Refusal Allegations

  • Police Procedure Review: Dissecting every operational step taken by law enforcement during your stop and arrest.
  • Device & Instrument Records: Evaluating calibration records of approved screening devices and instrument maintenance logs.
  • Right to Counsel: Ensuring strict compliance with your constitutional right to legal counsel.

Summary Conviction & Hybrid Offences

  • Domestic assault allegations, theft, and property damage
  • Possession of unauthorized items and breaches of court recognizance or probation orders

Charter of Rights and Freedoms Challenges

  • Defending against arbitrary stops, improper detentions, and unlawful roadside searches
  • Challenging unreasonable search and seizure and enforcing the right to be tried within a reasonable time

Know Your Rights

Understanding Impaired Driving & Roadside Rights in Ontario

Police Stops & Roadside Checkpoints

Police officers in Ontario are authorized to stop motor vehicles to verify driver licensing, mechanical fitness, vehicle insurance, and sobriety, and may request basic documentation.

Sobriety Evaluations & Roadside Testing

Officers assess suspected impairment through standardized field sobriety tests, approved roadside breath screening devices, or oral fluid screening instruments.

Duty to Comply with Lawful Breath Demands

Refusing or failing to comply with a lawful breath demand is a distinct criminal offence carrying mandatory penalties and automatic driving suspensions.

Right to Legal Counsel

The constitutional right to retain and instruct counsel arises immediately upon formal arrest or detention. Any denial of access to counsel is a serious Charter violation.

Facing Criminal Allegations in the Greater Toronto Area?

Your freedom, reputation, and future demand decisive legal representation. Contact Heiblo Law Professional Corporation immediately to schedule a confidential defence consultation.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Criminal Charges in Ontario

Under Canadian criminal law, offences are categorized by their severity:

  • Summary Conviction Offences: These are generally less severe matters resolved in the Ontario Court of Justice without a jury, carrying shorter maximum sentences and lesser financial penalties.
  • Indictable Offences: These represent serious criminal charges that carry substantial maximum penalties, up to and including life imprisonment. Accused individuals facing certain indictable offences may have the right to elect trial by judge alone or trial by judge and jury in the Superior Court of Justice.
  • Hybrid Offences: Many offences, including impaired driving and assault, allow the Crown Attorney to choose whether to proceed by summary conviction or by indictment based on the specific facts and prior history.
Exercise the constitutional right to remain silent. Politely inform the arresting officers that you wish to speak with legal counsel immediately, and decline to provide any statements, explanations, or recorded interviews until you have received formal legal advice from your lawyer.
Under current Canadian legal precedents, the brief detention associated with a standard roadside screening demand does not afford an immediate right to consult counsel before providing a breath sample. However, the moment an officer places you under arrest or transports you to a police detachment, police must suspend questioning and provide you with an immediate, private opportunity to contact and instruct legal counsel.
Refusing or failing to provide a suitable breath sample without a valid medical reason is treated with the same severity as blowing over the legal limit. A refusal conviction results in a criminal record, mandatory monetary fines, a statutory provincial driving prohibition, and dramatic increases in automotive insurance rates.
An impaired driving conviction results in an automatic, long-term prohibition from driving, mandatory statutory financial penalties, compulsory participation in remedial driving education programs, the mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device, and an indelible criminal record that can impair career opportunities and international travel.
The Charter guarantees foundational protections, including freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, the right to legal counsel upon arrest, the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair trial within a reasonable timeframe. If defence counsel establishes that the police breached these fundamental rights, the court can exclude tainted evidence or dismiss the prosecution entirely.