I went to my court appearance for drinking and driving today and the duty counsel asked for 4 weeks, then i have to come back again for the sentencing, as i was standing up there the crown attorney said they would like to add drinking and a drug to the charge, can they do that? None of my papers from the incident suggest anything about being on drugs, i wasnt on drugs. I want to plead guilty to the drinking charges, but i dont want to plead guilty to the drug charge. What should I do in this situation.
Tags: Adding, Appearance, Attorney, Canada, Charges, Court, Crowne, First, More, Ontario
Crown prosecutors can approve any charge that is clear on the face of the police report. Often the police may not understand the elements of the offense. In BC prosecutors approve any charge where there is a likelihood of successful prosecution. Same in Ontario.
It appears you pleaded guilty. Not a good idea until you meet with a lawyer. If you didn’t plead to the new charge then you can still plead not guilty and have a trial.