Understanding Different Criminal Charges

Criminal charges are serious and have severe consequences. Understanding the charges, what makes up each offence and the potential penalties is crucial to navigating the legal process effectively.

An experienced criminal lawyer in Edmonton can help you understand the intricacies of your case and the justice system.

Keep reading to explore typical criminal offences and their legal complexities.

What Can a Criminal Lawyer in Edmonton Help You With?

Depending on the severity of the crime, you can face several types of criminal charges. They include:

1. Property Offences

Property offences involve unlawful interference with another person’s belongings or property. Here are some examples:

  • Theft: This involves removing someone’s belongings without authorization, intending to keep them permanently, and depriving the owner.
  • Mischief: Mischief involves intentionally damaging, destroying or interfering with someone else’s property. 
  • Robbery: A robbery is a form of theft involving stealing property directly from a person through violence, force or threats. 
  • Break and Enter: Breaking and entering refers to unlawfully entering someone’s property without permission or legal right, typically to commit a crime. 

2. Violent Offences

Violent offences involve intentionally harming or threatening harm to another person. This category includes:

  • Assault: When someone intentionally uses force on another person without their permission
  • Aggravated Assault: This happens when someone causes serious harm or injury during an assault
  • Homicide: This refers to causing someone’s death. It can be murder, which is intentional killing, or manslaughter, which is unintended but still unlawful killing
  • Kidnapping: Kidnapping is when someone takes another person against their will. It involves forcing someone or holding them unlawfully, often with threats or coercion.

3. Drug Offences

Drug offences involve unlawful activities related to controlled substances. They may involve the following:

  • Possession: This offence occurs when someone is found to possess controlled substances, such as narcotics or drugs, without legal authorization
  • Trafficking: Trafficking refers to the sale, distribution or transportation of controlled substances
  • Production: This can include cultivating, synthesizing, or processing substances to create controlled substances unlawfully.

4. Sexual Offences

A reputable sexual assault or criminal lawyer in Edmonton can defend sexual offences that involve illegal actions related to sexual activities. These include:

  • Sexual Assault: When someone engages in non-consensual sexual activity, ranging from unwanted touching to more severe forms of assault, without the explicit consent of the other person
  • Sexual Interference: Sexual interference occurs when someone engages in sexual activity with a minor who is not legally able to give informed consent due to their age. 
  • Child Pornography: This offence involves creating, possessing or distributing explicit material involving minors.

5. Crimes of Deceit

This term refers to dishonest actions aimed at gaining an unfair advantage. If you have questions about crimes of deceit, your criminal lawyer in Edmonton can provide clarity. The following actions fall under this category:

  • Fraud: Deception to gain money, property or services
  • Embezzlement: This occurs when someone misuses money or property entrusted to them. Usually, embezzlement involves people in positions of trust taking or diverting assets for their own benefit
  • Identity Theft: Identity theft involves stealing and using another person’s personal information for illegal purposes.

6.  Weapon Offences

Weapon offences involve breaking the law by having or using weapons. They include:

  • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose: This happens when a person is caught carrying weapons with harmful intent
  • Firearms Offenses: This includes breaching firearms rules and regulations with respect to carriage and storage, or using a firearm in the commission of an offence

7. Driving Offences

Criminal lawyers in Edmonton also have experience dealing with a variety of driving offences, including impaired driving. Here are examples of these offences:

  • Impaired Driving: This offence, commonly known as a DUI, occurs when someone operates a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs
  • Dangerous Driving: Dangerous driving involves operating a vehicle in a manner that poses a risk to the public. 
  • Flight: Flight involves not stopping for police when lawfully directed to do so.

Consult a Criminal Lawyer in Edmonton

If you face criminal charges, it’s time to speak with the Edmonton criminal defence lawyers at RG Defence.

Call 587.982.8152 or complete our contact form for a consultation.