Impaired Driving & DUI Lawyers

Being charged with impaired driving or DUI carries serious and lasting penalties. Whether it’s your first offence or a repeat charge, the consequences for impaired driving penalties are designed to be tough — and can have a major impact on your future.

If you are convicted, impaired driving penalties typically include:

• A mandatory criminal record
• A minimum $1,000 fine for a first offence
• Automatic driver’s licence suspension (at least 12 months for a first offence)
• Mandatory participation in an Ignition Interlock Program
• Enrollment in a mandatory education or treatment program
• Significant increases in insurance rates (often for 5 years or more)
• Potential jail time for second or subsequent offences

DUI penalties in Canada become even harsher for aggravating factors, such as:

• High blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
• Refusing to provide a breath sample
• Causing bodily harm or death

It’s important to understand that impaired driving penalties don’t just end with the court case. A conviction can affect your job, your ability to travel internationally, and your personal reputation.

If you’ve been charged, speaking to an experienced impaired driving lawyer immediately can make a significant difference. In many cases, there are strong legal defences that can reduce or eliminate these penalties — but time is critical.

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DUI (Driving Under the Influence) and impaired driving are serious criminal charges in Canada. These charges apply when a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle is affected by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both. You don’t need to be visibly drunk or high—any noticeable impairment can result in charges.

Common DUI and Impaired Driving Offences Include:

• Driving While Impaired: This charge involves driving or being in care and control of a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Even if the vehicle isn’t moving, simply being behind the wheel with the keys accessible can result in this offence if impairment is suspected. You’re deemed to have the care and control of the vehicle while impaired.

• Over 80 mg: This criminal charge applies where the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood within two hours of driving. BAC levels are typically determined through breathalyzer or blood tests, and exceeding the limit is an offence even if no impairment symptoms are visible. It’s a measurement of the alcohol in your body.

• Refusing or Failing to Provide a Sample: If you refuse to comply with a lawful police request for a breathalyzer, blood test, or refuse a roadside screening device, you can be charged with this offence. Refusal is treated as seriously as a DUI conviction and can carry significant penalties, including a criminal record and drivers licence suspension.

• Impairment by Drugs or Cannabis: This charge occurs when a driver operates a vehicle under the influence of drugs, whether legal or illegal. This includes cannabis and prescription medications that affect driving ability. Police often use field sobriety tests, drug recognition evaluations, or saliva tests to determine impairment.

Facing these charges can feel overwhelming, but understanding the specific offence is the first step in fighting back. Let us help you navigate the legal process and protect your licence.

Don’t leave your future to chance. Contact our experienced DUI lawyers and impaired driving lawyers today at 416-731-7113 for a free consultation. Let us put our 25+ years of experience to work for you.

With over 25 years of courtroom experience, our DUI and impaired driving lawyers are committed to building strong defences with winning outcomes.

The Importance of Hiring Experienced Impaired Driving Lawyers

Being charged with DUI or impaired driving is a serious matter that can have life-changing consequences.

Without the help of an experienced DUI lawyer, you leave yourself vulnerable to a criminal record, licence suspension, heavy fines, and even jail time. These penalties can follow you for years, impacting your career, finances, and ability to travel.

Drivers who don’t dispute the charges or plea guilty suffer the costs, add them up. Back on Track course $894, Interlock device $1,390–$1,900, insurance 100% increase each year for 5 years, minimum $1,000 fine. As well where an accident has occurred the insurance will refuse to fix your vehicle.

Where you dispute the charges you have a chance to win, along the way there maybe reduced charges. The laws surrounding impaired driving are intricate and ever-changing, requiring the expertise of skilled impaired driving lawyers who understand the legal process, what will win your case, and when a reduced charge is possible.

Courtroom Experience You Can Count On

Our office brings over 25 years of courtroom experience to every case. As seasoned impaired driving lawyers, we’ve successfully defended thousands of clients, navigating complex legal systems and achieving winning outcomes for hundred of DUI and impaired driving arrests.

From negotiating with Crown Attorneys, pre-trial hearings, to cross-examining police officers and challenging evidence in court, our team of DUI Lawyers knows what it takes to win your case.

We understand how judges and prosecutors approach DUI and impaired driving cases. This long term experience allows us to know and understand the prosecution’s strategies, challenge evidence effectively, and present a winning defence on your behalf.

Our proven track record of winning DUI charges demonstrates our commitment to protecting our clients’ with winning results.

A conviction for DUI or impaired driving can impact every part of your life, affecting your ability to drive, your career, finances, family, and future employment opportunities.

Penalties can Include:

• Criminal Record: Persons convicted of impaired driving or a DUI receive a criminal record for life. A criminal record is a permanent record that appears on background checks, affecting employment.
• Travel Restrictions: Where you’ve been convicted of a DUI, you maybe prohibited from travelling to the United States or other countries.
• Licence Suspension: Convictions for any DUI or drinking and driving charge results in a minimum one year licence suspension. As well insurance rates will increase 100% or more for at least 5 years.
• Fines and Mandatory Programs: First-time offenders face fines starting at $1,000 and must complete alcohol or drug education programs, medical checks for alcoholism, as well as a Back on Track, Remedial Measure Program for Impaired Drivers.
• Jail Time: Repeat offences or aggravating factors, like accidents or very high BAC levels, can result in jail sentences.

The consequences are serious, but they aren’t inevitable. Our experienced lawyers know how to challenge charges and reduce penalties. Contact us today to get started.

Not every DUI or impaired driving case goes to trial. With the right legal approach, many times we’ve gotten a DUI and drinking and driving charge dropped to non-criminal offences, like careless driving thereby avoiding a licence suspension and criminal record.

Reduced Charges to Avoid a Criminal Record & Licence Suspension

Experience and a lawyers reputation can save the risk of losing your licence, the damaging effects of a criminal record and the cost of going to trial.  As seasoned and experienced impaired driving lawyers, in hundreds of cases we’ve been able possible to negotiate reduced charges that carry significantly lighter penalties.

Benefits of Reduced Charges Include:

• Avoiding a Criminal Record: Lesser charges like careless driving are considered provincial offences (traffic tickets), which means they do not result in a criminal records.
• Preventing Licence Suspension: Unlike impaired driving convictions, reduced charges may allow you to keep your licence and avoid lengthy suspensions.
• Minimizing Fines and Penalties: Provincial offences often come with manageable fines and demerit points rather than harsher penalties.

As experienced DUI lawyers we have a verifiable track record of successfully helping our clients through pre-trial discussions with the crown attorney, presenting mitigating factors, addressing weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, while strongly advocating on your behalf.

Reduced charges can save you from the long-term consequences of a criminal record. Let us help you secure the best possible outcome.

Even where the court and prosecution have done everything properly, many times there are legal motions that can dramatically affect a court case.

Our team of DUI lawyers, has one of Ontario’s highest success rates as a result of years of trial experience.  Compared to many, our impaired driving lawyers use defence strategies developed from years helping people just like you, with winning results.

How Our Impaired Driving Lawyers Build a Strong Defence:

• Listening to You: We want to listen to you and hear what you have to say, how it happened and how the police handled the investigation. We’re looking for legal errors and mistakes that can get your charge dropped, (and it happens a lot!).
• Challenging the Crown’s Evidence: As DUI lawyers we thoroughly examine breathalyzer results, the actions of the police officers, and witness statements to uncover inconsistencies and errors that can win your case.
• Identifying Police Errors: We review every aspect of your arrest, from roadside arrests and procedures to Charter violations, we leave no stone unturned in your defence. Mistakes by law enforcement can lead to evidence being excluded or charges being dismissed.
• Leveraging Expert Testimony: When needed, we work with forensic and medical experts to challenge scientific evidence, such as BAC levels and timing of impairment, to strengthen your defence.

With decades of courtroom experience and a reputation for success, our DUI lawyers and impaired driving lawyers are here to fight for you every step of the way.

Experience counts in criminal defence, and who your lawyer is, their background and reputation with the court can be an influencing part of your defence. Our defence lawyers for DUIs and impaired driving are your resource at all stages of the defence, including;

• Highlighting Legal Challenges and Opportunities: We actively identify and explain the legal intricacies and potential issues within your case, ensuring you have a clear understanding of the situation.
• Discovering and Articulating Defences: Our team thoroughly analyzes your case to uncover potential defences, legal arguments and applicable case law, detailing these strategies to you for a comprehensive understanding.
• Guiding You Through the Legal System: We’re a team, your team. We take a hands-on approach to navigate the complexities of the legal process, fiercely defending your rights at every step, while guiding you through the legal system.

Our representation covers every aspect necessary for a robust defence:

• Providing Ongoing Legal Advice: Throughout the duration of your case, we continuously offer expert legal counsel, keeping you informed and prepared at each stage.
• Securing Crucial Evidence: We take the initiative in obtaining police notes and ensuring full disclosure of the prosecution’s evidence, meticulously reviewing each detail for your defence.
• Ensuring Your Presence in Court: We represent you at all court hearings, passionately advocating on your behalf to present your case in the most compelling manner.
• Engaging with the Crown Attorney: We handle all communications and negotiations with the prosecution, strategically advocating for your interests, attending pre-trials, and discussing resolutions.
• Crafting & Presenting Legal Arguments: Our team diligently prepares and articulately presents legal arguments, both in pre-trial settings and at trial, tailored to the specifics of your case.
• Representing You at Trial: In the event your case proceeds to trial, we stand as your steadfast advocates, rigorously defending you in court.

Often, our representation means you may not need to appear in court, as we can appear for you. However, we ensure your presence at critical moments, such as the final trial date, always accompanied by our legal expertise.

As your defence team, we are committed to guiding you with professionalism and expertise through all court proceedings.