To Hire or Not to Hire: The Dilemma of Defending Innocence with a Lawyer in Canada
Facing criminal charges is an overwhelming and distressing experience, especially when you know that you are innocent.
Calgary Criminal Defence Lawyer
Tough. Strategic. Experienced.
Being charged with a criminal offence is one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. Hiring the right lawyer to defend you is the most important decision you can make. I have over 20 years of experience in criminal law, and I have defended over 1600 people.
Calgary Criminal Defence Lawyer
Tough. Strategic. Experienced.
Being charged with a criminal offence is one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. Hiring the right lawyer to defend you is the most important decision you can make. I have over 20 years of experience in criminal law, and I have defended over 1600 people.
110+
5-Star Google Reviews
20+
Years of Criminal Defence Experience
1600+
Successful Cases
Calgary Criminal Lawyer
Susan Karpa
I am a Calgary based criminal defence lawyer who specializes in defending clients against criminal charges. When deciding on a lawyer to represent you in criminal matters, experience and results achieved are crucial considerations.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
TESTIMONIALS
EXPERIENCE IN criminal law
Practice Areas
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Assaults, Threats, and Harassment
Assaults and related offences such as uttering threats and harassment can occur in many different forms. They range from mere threats to forms of simple assault, domestic violence, assaults involving weapons, those that cause bodily harm, and most serious of all, aggravated assaults.
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Sexual Assault & Other Sexual Offences
Sexual assault charges can arise in a multitude of factual circumstances, and can range from sexual assault with a weapon, causing bodily harm, or aggravated sexual assault.
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Possession of Child Pornography and Luring
Child pornography related offences can include allegations of possessing, making, or distributing such materials. A related offence is child luring. Evidence in this area is quite technical given the intricacies of the internet and modern-day technology.
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Drug Offences
Drug offences are taken very seriously and thus are governed by their own legislation called the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The new Cannabis Act also regulates the possession and use of marijuana.
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Firearms & Weapons Offences
There are various firearm and weapons related offences you may have been charged with. The use and possession of firearms carry strict requirements for it to be lawful.
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Property Related Offences
There is a wide array of property related offences which commonly include theft, mischief, and possession of stolen property. Various defences may be available to you that should be explored; the property may have been yours, maybe you had a property inte
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Murder & Manslaughter Offences
These are the most serious offences you can be charged with and they carry a potential consequence of life in jail. Due to the severity of the possible outcomes, they are among the most complicated cases to deal with.
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Impaired Driving & Other Driving Offences
These charges are relatively common and can have serious impacts on your daily life and employment. There are both criminal charges you may face and provincial regulatory consequences in terms of your license and ability to drive.
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Release Conditions, Probation, and Conditional Sentences
Upon being criminally charged, you may have been released either on an appearance notice, undertaking, or release order. These documents set out conditions you will have to follow ranging from simply attending court and fingerprinting all the way up to curfews and other restrictions.
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Release and Bail
Upon being charged, the default rule for many offences is that you should be released as soon as reasonably possible and on the least restrictive conditions suitable to your case.
Experience in criminal law
SUSAN KARPA
I take my commitment to my clients seriously. I work hard to defend all criminal charges equally. Whether you have been charged with assault, a sexual offence, theft, drug trafficking, weapons offence or something else, I strive to ensure the best possible outcome.
From The Blog
Understanding Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse, also known as family violence or intimate partner violence (IPV), has been identified as a major global public health concern that became even worse during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Understanding Criminal Harassment
Criminal harassment is commonly known as stalking and it can take many forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
If there is a warrant for your arrest in a particular jurisdiction – for example, Alberta, or Canada – the police in that jurisdiction have the authority to arrest you. Once you are arrested, you may be released by a police officer on an appearance notice or undertaking or you may be held while you wait to have a bail hearing in front of a justice of the peace or judge.
In most cases, having a warrant for your arrest is not what some television shows and movies make it out to be – the police are not usually going to great lengths to find you and bring you to jail. However, the police may be searching for you, and if you happen to come across the police (and tell them who you are) for any reason, you will almost certainly be arrested. Even if you happen to drive by a highway patrol officer who runs your license plate through a police database – and police routinely do this – you may be pulled over and arrested.
In my role as a criminal lawyer, one of the common questions you may need to ask me before you’ve been charged is:
“THE POLICE HAVE CONTACTED ME, AND THEY WANT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT SOMETHING. CAN I REFUSE?”
At this early stage, the police may want to ask some questions. It may be about an incident you participated in, one you witnessed, or one you have simply became aware of. Based upon my experience, the police will likely be contacting you about a matter for which they are contemplating laying criminal charges.
Before hiring a criminal defence lawyer, the lawyer will often set up an initial consultation with the prospective client. What happens during those initial consultations will vary from criminal defence lawyer to criminal defence lawyer, but generally speaking a few key subjects will be reviewed with the client.
For myself, I always ask the client to bring with them copies of any paperwork they may have received from police. However, if you are looking to consult with a criminal defence lawyer before charges are laid, for pre-charge advice, then you will not necessarily have any paperwork from the police.