If you or a loved one has been arrested and held in custody anywhere in Brampton or the surrounding areas of Ontario, Dhindsa Law is ready to help. A bail hearing is often the first and most urgent step in a criminal case, and the outcome can determine whether you wait for trial at home or in custody. We act quickly and represent clients in both criminal and family law matters, with years of courtroom experience and a strong track record before the Ontario Court of Justice. When you need us, our lawyer is only a phone call away.
In Canada, a bail hearing — properly called judicial interim release under section 515 of the Criminal Code — decides whether a person charged with an offence is released while their case is ongoing, and on what conditions. If the police do not release you after arrest, you must be brought before a justice, usually within 24 hours, for this hearing.
Canadian bail is very different from the U.S. "cash bail" system. Here, the starting point is that you should be released, and the Crown usually has to show cause for why you should be detained. A justice can only order detention on the grounds set out in section 515(10):
Release can take several forms — a simple undertaking, a release order with conditions, or a release with a surety (a person who agrees to supervise you and may pledge an amount of money that is only forfeited if the conditions are broken). Courts are guided by the "ladder principle" (from R. v. Antic), meaning they should impose the least restrictive form of release that is appropriate. An actual cash deposit is the exception in Ontario, not the norm.
A bail hearing does not decide guilt or innocence — you are presumed innocent throughout. It only decides the terms on which you can be released while your matter proceeds. Because certain offences carry a reverse onus (where you must show why you should be released) and because bail conditions can seriously affect your daily life, having an experienced lawyer prepare and argue your release plan makes a real difference.
When you or someone you love is arrested, the situation is stressful and time-sensitive. Dhindsa Law can act fast to seek your release on the most reasonable conditions possible. We do this the right way — by knowing the law, the local Peel Region courts, and how to present a persuasive release plan — not by cutting corners.
Our work on a bail hearing typically includes:
At Dhindsa Law, our lawyer has years of experience in criminal law, handling a wide range of cases — from drug charges to sexual assault and other serious matters. With experienced representation at your bail hearing, you give yourself the best chance of being released and getting home to prepare your defence.
Contact us today, and we will start working on your bail hearing right away.