Newmarket Criminal Lawyer Nicholas Charitsis is an experienced and respected defence lawyer at the Newmarket criminal courthouse, known for his high success rate.

Nick represents those charged with domestic assaults, theft, drug charges, arrests made under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and driving charges such as impaired driving, fail to remain and dangerous driving.

With a background as crown attorney and prosecutor Nick has the experience and winning results you need for criminal defence  at the Newmarket court.

If you’re accused of a crime in York Region, then you need a Newmarket lawyer with experience and a track record of winning trials at the Newmarket court.

Charitsis Law is a Newmarket criminal law firm representing clients charged with criminal offences at the Newmarket Superior Court, Newmarket Court of Justice and throughout the GTA.

We treat each client like a member of our family – and their case like if it were our own. We charge a reasonable fee, based upon our commitment to you and high level of service. Our law firm in Newmarket has been highly ranked and reviewed by organizations like Google, LawyerRatingz.com, and others in the Newmarket.

Our team of criminal defence advocates in Newmarket work together with lawyers, paralegals, medical professionals and retired police officers to ensure the best possible defence.  We understand how the Newmarket Courthouse operates, the law and and justice in Newmarket. We pride ourselves on doing everything possible to win your case.

Newmarket lawyer Nicholas Charitsis explains about defending criminal charges using his legal and advocacy skills and network of lawyers, former Crown Attorneys, former breathalyzer technicians and toxicologists.

Our law firm of Newmarket criminal lawyers cares about the number of cases we take each month. Subsequently we only take on a select few number of clients. Our goal is to  provide a superior criminal defence service. Our objective is to provide impeccable legal defence and to win your case. That’s one of main reasons why many of our clients refer us to their friends and family members – when they need legal advice.

Risk Free Consultation

As criminal lawyers in Newmarket we offer a free consultation, in person or over the phone. During this meeting, you can discuss your case with us and we’ll answer any questions you may have. We can answer questions like – what are the criminal penalties for the charge, what does the prosecution and police have to prove, and how can we fight the allegation. When discussing your criminal defence, this means either looking at how to get the case dismissed, or how we can get the charge reduced to avoid penalties like a criminal record,  licence suspensions and even jail. We believe that once you discuss your defence with us, you will see how Charitsis Law is the defence lawyers for you.

Do I need a criminal defence lawyer if I have been falsely accused?

All defendants who are accused of a crime are required by law to be adequately represented at court either by legal counsel or by self representation. Legal Aid and duty counsel maybe available for those with limited means. The problem is that many duty counsel and legal aid lawyers at the Newmarket court have a high case load and may find it difficult to provide the amount of legal representation required to properly represent your case including any defence. Duty counsel work for the courts and government. This means that the legal counsel for the accused is also an employee of the same government that is pressing the charges, which rarely works well for the accused. Crown Attorneys often act as though they are entitled to a conviction following any conviction of a criminal charge, and duty counsel will normally be required to deal with the crown attorney regularly. This situation alone is enough for anyone accused of a crime to consider retain an experienced and criminal defence lawyer who will work diligently to ensure there are no conflicts.

What does a criminal lawyer do?

Criminal cases are built on evidence that must meet the standard of reasonable doubt. Your criminal defence lawyer can evaluate all of the evidence for legal applications regarding truth and evidence by the police. Arresting officers must follow all arrest protocols and follow the rules of evidence when compiling evidence in an investigation. And, many times over-zealous police officers and prosecutors will prosecute an innocent individual. As your lawyer we will contest all of this evidence as inadmissible and move to have any immaterial case facts dismissed for consideration, which is something that a typical defendant usually cannot accomplish.

Defending your case

When you retain a criminal lawyer they can also cross-examine and question the statements of the officer, as well as the motivation for the arrest when it obvious that charges are based on evidence that is weak or borderline. Having a defence lawyer who is willing to take a case to a complete trial can be important, and many times an defence lawyer will avoid this at all costs due to lack of experience conducting trials. Never plead guilty to a criminal charge when you are innocent as criminal records can have a major impact on the life of the accused going forward, including denial for government benefits, employment, and public housing. Retaining a criminal lawyer is always an investment in your personal future.

It is never a good decision to go before the court without legal representation because the prosecution must only observe the minimal basic legal rights of the defendant and they are serious about a conviction merely because of the fact you’re are there. In many ways, a defendant must actually prove their innocence instead of the court proving the case against the defendant. It is important to remember that, even when charges are generally sound, a reduced charge can often be achieved with good legal counsel.

Do I need a defence lawyer for my case?

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees a defendant the right to a lawyer to defend them in a criminal case. It has also been interpreted as conferring the right on criminal defendants to represent himself or herself in cases against them. No such right exists in a civil lawsuit. If you’re a criminal defendant, you might also be allowed to represent yourself, but you’ll need permission to do so from the judge who is presiding over your case. Whether or not it’s a good idea to ask a judge to represent yourself in a criminal case is up to your own best judgment, but it’s not recommended. Typically, you should hire a lawyer to work with you. The consequences of a conviction could be harsh, especially if you’re charged with an indictable offence.

Aggressive and Unyielding

Our Newmarket criminal lawyers are aggressive, and extremely resourceful. We get each client the results he, or she, deserves.

Experienced Litigators

Our Newmarket criminal lawyers have all been recognized as top rated, by services such as Google Reviews, YellowPages and LawyerRatingz.com, and many others.

We’re Dedicated To You

Our lawyers are passionate about one thing: helping our clients get the best outcome. We focus on service and results.

We’re your lawyer, we work for you.

You can trust our Newmarket criminal solicitors to guide and advise you what to do. We understand you’re relying on us to defend your character, rights and to protect your future.  When you work with us, we’ll explain our part, your part and work together.

Don’t settle for a duty counsel

The Newmarket courthouse does have Duty Counsel as a necessary in the legal system, but doesn’t provide a full defence for the client. Duty counsel works for the court that is prosecuting the case, and there’s always a question of how hard they are working as legal counsel you. Many times the offence is a crime without an obvious victim, especially in cases involving drug distribution on any level. The Newmarket Duty Counsel regularly works at this court and can become an ally of the prosecution and Newmarket officers in many cases. Never accept duty counsel for a criminal charge if there is any other option for legal representation.

Anyone in Newmarket who is facing criminal charges should contact our lawyers for a professional and thorough discussion of your charges. We understand the how the Newmarket courthouse operates, the “players involved” always represent our clients aggressively, including the willingness to take a case to trial. We understand how to prepare and present a strong defence in any legal situation and have a track record of proven success, helping our clients win, receive reduced charges and avoiding criminal records and licence suspensions. Let us be your criminal defence team to defend your rights.

What happens after someone is arrested in Newmarket?

York Region arrests are made when a police officer either has witnessed a crime or has reasonable and probable grounds to believe an offence has been committed. Once arrested, the accused may be released on a promise to appear in court or be taken by the police officer into custody for a bail hearing at the Newmarket court. The accused will be fingerprinted and photographed. The suspect will be required to answer a series of personal questions and will then be placed in a holding cell. The police must give the accused reasonable phone calls and be allowed speak to a criminal defence lawyer of their choosing or to duty counsel.

The accused will be given a court hearing within 48 hours of being placed in custody. The suspect will be allowed to meet with their lawyer before the bail hearing takes place.

When the accused is taken to the courthouse, the court will inform the judge of the crime they are being charged with, and will ask the accused to enter a plea. The accused can either tell the judge that they are guilty or not guilty. Accused persons should get legal advice from their lawyer about which plea to enter before the hearing begins. The judge will then review the case to see if the accused should be released from custody pending the trial date.

A guilty plea is an admission of guilt, and the accused will be responsible for the penalties of the crime. A plea of not guilty means the crown attorney must prove the facts of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt to the judge at trial.  Any witnesses must appear on the trial date to give evidence.

At the Newmarket courthouse most criminal proceedings will appear before a provincial court judge, without a jury and the judge will decide the outcome.

Where after the trial the accused is found not guilty, they will be allowed to go free. If the accused is found guilty, or if the accused pleaded guilty, a sentencing hearing will be held immediately unless deferred by the court. At sentencing, the judge will listen to submissions from both the defence lawyer and the crown attorney regarding the accused, including any past criminal record and background in deciding a penalty.

Many criminal charges including impaired driving and dangerous driving have mandatory penalties like licence suspensions that the judge has no control over.

At the sentencing hearing the judge at the Newmarket court may want to hear the opinions of the accused’s friends and family, or from the victim(s) of the crime. The judge will then decide a penalty based on sentencing requirements and the evidence provided.