Criminal Law in Ontario is an independent educational website about how the criminal justice system works in Ontario. It exists because being arrested, charged, or asked to appear in court is a stressful and confusing experience, and the practical information people need in that moment is often scattered across government websites, written in dense legal language, or hard to find quickly. This page explains what this resource is, who it is for, and how it approaches the content it publishes.
Our Mission
The goal of this site is to explain Ontario criminal law and criminal court procedure in plain, accurate language, without assuming the reader already has a legal background. Topics range from an overview of specific offences and the bail process, to what happens at a first court appearance, how sentencing works, and how a criminal record can affect someone's life afterward. Wherever it is useful, pages link to official government, court, and Legal Aid Ontario resources so readers can go directly to a primary source.
This site does not try to replace legal advice. Criminal cases turn on specific facts, and the law can be applied differently depending on the details of a situation. The purpose here is to help readers understand the general landscape well enough to ask better questions, whether they are speaking with duty counsel, a Legal Aid lawyer, or a private criminal defence lawyer.
Who This Site Is For
The content is written primarily for people in Ontario who are personally affected by the criminal justice system: someone who has just been arrested or charged, a family member trying to understand what a loved one is going through, or someone trying to understand how a past record might affect them. It may also be useful to students, support workers, and anyone else who wants a plain-language starting point on how Ontario's criminal courts operate.
Not Legal Advice, and Not Affiliated With Any Court, Police Service, or Firm
Criminal Law in Ontario is an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with the Government of Ontario, the Ontario courts, any police service, prosecutor, Legal Aid Ontario, or any law firm. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and using this site does not create a lawyer-client relationship of any kind. Every page is general information only, and criminal law and court procedure can change over time and can apply differently depending on individual circumstances. Anyone dealing with an actual criminal charge should speak with a qualified criminal defence lawyer or duty counsel about their specific situation.
How the Content Is Put Together
Content on this site is researched using primary legislation such as the Criminal Code, reported case law, and publicly available materials from Ontario courts, the Government of Canada, and Legal Aid Ontario, then rewritten into plain language. More detail on this process is available on the pages linked below, including how sources are chosen, how content is kept up to date, and how corrections are handled when an error is identified.
Who Is Behind This Resource
Criminal Law in Ontario is produced by an independent team of legal content researchers and editors. It is not a law firm, and no one who writes for this site is providing legal advice to readers through it. The team's role is limited to researching, writing, and maintaining the educational content published here. The site is managed by Ryan J. Manilla, BA, JD, an Ontario lawyer who reviews its legal information.