OSHAWA CRIMINAL LAWYERS
Meeting Place
25 Ritson Road North
Oshawa, Ontario
L1G 5P4
Phone / Email
BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION
We offer free 30-minute initial consultations to individuals in Oshawa. Our criminal defence lawyers are available to review your case with you.
Some of the Criminal Allegations We Defend Against in Oshawa
OSHAWA OFFICE
Aitken Robertson Criminal Law Office in Oshawa
Aitken Robertson has been providing criminal defence to the people of Oshawa and the Durham region for over two decades. Our Oshawa office typically hosts the largest number of Aitken Robertson employees out of all of our offices in Ontario.
Clients in Oshawa and the Durham region will work alongside lawyers Phil Stiles and Richard Aitken. As a former Crown Attorney with a Master’s Degree in constitutional law, Phil brings a thorough understanding of the criminal procedure to the team. He uses this experience and education to ensure that if any of his client’s Charter rights are violated by the police or Crown, the Court is made aware of it and the evidence obtained is challenged.
All of our lawyers work with founding lawyer Richard Aitken, who brings over 35 years of criminal law experience to his position as a mentor. Richard has dedicated his career to criminal defence with many of his cases focusing on driving under the influence cases. Those facing provincial offences will be defended by paralegal Jami Sanftleben, who remained with Aitken Robertson full time after completing his licensing hours with us. In addition to defending those with provincial charges, Jami assists lawyers with research. Phil is also assisted by, and a mentor to lawyer, Channdeep Singh Nagi, who practiced law in India for 2 years before moving to Canada. His passion for criminal law remained strong throughout his move, and after studying at Osgoode Hall in Toronto he took on a position with Aitken Robertson to become fully licensed in Ontario.
Our Oshawa office is also the primary office of a number of our administrative staff members, including the office manager Madeline Driscoll. Madeline has been with Aitken Robertson since the beginning and oversees all of the day to day operations of the firm, including staffing, finance, documentation and client relations. Although currently working out of our Lindsay office, Susan Cornett acts as Aitken Robertson’s financial administrative assistant, handling clients’ accounts and building custom payment plans for clients in Oshawa. Susan brings fourteen years of experience in policing to the team, after working as an intelligence officer in the United Kingdom before moving to Canada. She has been with Aitken Robertson for over a decade.
Aitken Robertson believes all those who face charges deserve quality, experienced criminal defence regardless of their finances. That’s why we offer free 30-minute consultations, flat rate billing, and interest-free payment plans.
During a free 30-minute consultation a member of our team will discuss the facts of your case with you. Everything you say during this meeting is covered by legal confidentiality. Afterwards, we will let you know what outcomes you can expect if we represent you and what the cost will be. We want you to have all the information necessary to decide to retain us or not.
We can tell you after the consultation what the cost of your defence will be because we use a flat rate billing system instead of the traditional billable hours’ system. Instead of adding up all the time spent working on your case at the very end (which makes the bill unknown until then) we give you a flat rate upfront, and that will be the cost regardless of how many hours we put in. Our team has experienced a wide variety of clients, cases and facts and can estimate how much work your case will take to achieve a desirable outcome. Even if we work more than anticipated the bill remains the same; there won’t be any unknown fees.
If you are worried about paying for a criminal defence team, talk to us about our interest-free payment plans. Rather than paying the entire amount in one or two lump sums, you can make smaller instalments over weeks or months. We can create a custom plan to suit each client based on their financial situation and do not charge any interest. Whether you pay it all upfront or in ten smaller bi-weekly payments to correspond with your paycheck at work, you would be paying the same amount.
If you are facing criminal or provincial charges in Oshawa or the Durham region, reach out to us at 25 Ritson Road North, or call us at 905-725-3564, to book your free 30-minute consultation. We offer meets by “Zoom” or “Meet.” We will happily discuss your case with you and if you are satisfied with the meeting you can retain us so we can begin defending you against the charges as quickly as possible.
Our Oshawa Criminal Law Team
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on a lot of factors: what you’re charged with, the evidence the Crown has, what outcome you want if you want to go to trial, etc. It’s impossible to give you a figure without first talking to you about your case. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll use that information to let you know what the cost will be.
We definitely can. If you can’t make it to our office during business hours or you would just prefer to talk over the phone instead of face to face let us know and we can set up a phone meeting. We can also meet you virtually using Zoom or Google Meet.
You might not have to! Once you retain us as your lawyers we can go to most of the court dates on your behalf. Many of those court dates are for administrative purposes like updating the court on the status of meetings with the Crown. We can handle that for you. If there is a day you need to be in court we will let you know in advance.
Assuming your case is unwinnable without first talking to a lawyer is like assuming an illness is untreatable without first talking to a doctor. Our experience lets us see aspects of the case you might not be looking for that could lead to a win for you. For example, you might be worried that because the police tested you above the legal limit for driving there is no way to challenge that evidence. However, if the police did not follow proper procedure and violated any of your rights while obtaining this evidence, we can request the court deem the evidence inadmissible. If that evidence is unusable by the Crown their case might become unwinnable and they could withdraw the charges entirely. A consultation with our team is completely free and you should at least hear what we think of your case in that consultation before jumping to conclusions.
Just west of our office on King St East, you’ll find a Tim Hortons, a Pizza Pizza, Riley’s Pub and Smoke’s Poutinerie. There are plenty of options, but just a reminder that food and drink aren’t allowed in the courtroom!
The nearest place to have an Interlock Ignition installed is 5KM from our office:
Speedy Glass
1520 Dundas St East, Unit A
Whitby, ON
L1N 2K7
Oshawa Courthouse Information
Oshawa courthouse is located at 150 Bond Street East. Its hours of operation are:
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The public counter hours are open between 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This counter is for general inquiries and other court-related services.
If you come here by car, there are parking spaces nearby for your convenience. Some of them include:
Each courtroom will periodically take a recess, including lunch, morning and afternoon breaks; though it is left to the judge to decide when these breaks are suitable. For this reason, breaks can happen at different times. The timing is not consistent.
However, when you do go on your breaks, there are quite a few restaurants nearby that you can pop into if you have time. These include:
- Ciao Amici is an Italian restaurant serving traditional dishes
- Sobie’s Grill, located in Midtown Mall, is a spot offering breakfast dishes and other items
- MATHILDA’s “Plant Based Eating at IT’s Best” serves an array of plant-based dishes for vegans or those seeking more wholesome plant-based options
If your time is limited, you can pop into the Tim Horton’s located right in the courthouse.
The lawyers at Aitken Robertson are very knowledgeable about all court processes and will help you navigate the court system effectively. For further information on the Oshawa courthouse, click here.
Oshawa Area Criminal Law Resources
Oshawa Superior Court of Justice
150 Bond St East
Oshawa, ON
L1G 0A2
Telephone: 905-743-2630
Oshawa Ontario Court of Justice
150 Bond St East
Oshawa, ON
L1G 0A2
Telephone: 905-743-2640
Whitby Traffic Court
655 Rossland Rd East
Whitby, ON
L1N 0B3
Telephone: 1-866-779-8839
Oshawa Courthouse Accessibility Coordinator
150 Bond St East
Oshawa, ON
L1G 0A2
Telephone: 905-743-2691
Oshawa Crown Attorney’s Office
150 Bond St East
Oshawa, ON
L1G 0A2
Telephone: 905-743-2700
Victim Services
Telephone: 905-743-2790
Durham Community Legal Clinic
200 John St West, Unit B1
Oshawa, ON
L1J 2B4
Telephone: 905-728-7321
Crime in Oshawa
Much like several other towns in Durham Region, Oshawa is located along the shoreline of Lake Ontario. It is also one of the largest cities in this municipality.
Oshawa’s population is robust and is steadily increasing as home-buyers from Toronto are attracted to the area by the more affordable cost of houses.
Additionally, Oshawa has excellent recreational amenities with both indoor and outdoor activities. Parks such as Lakeview Park East Beach, trails, museums, and shopping centres are just some of the conveniences to consider. Overall, Oshawa is a great place to reside in and visit.
Crime is a common occurrence, happening in every town in or around the GTA. In 2010. Maclean’s magazine rated 100 Canadian cities from the number one most dangerous city to the least dangerous.1
Oshawa combined with Whitby & Ajax was ranked 81, which is just 19 cities shy of 100. Caledon, ON was ranked 100 and was therefore considered to be the safest in Ontario. Still, based on the ranking, Oshawa ranks relatively high for safety based on this report.
Another article indicated that “more than 90% of the Oshawa residents confessed that they have someone they can count on in their closest neighborhood.” Hence there is a sense of safety and community in Oshawa, which is another reason for its growth. 2
What Is the Rate of Crime in Oshawa?
According to Durham Region news, the entire region has seen an upsurge in crime. Oshawa specifically has witnessed a rise in crime the downtown core.
There have been increases in assaults and “open-drug trafficking” as drug dealers have been “attacking the vulnerable” in the downtown core. Additionally, a rise in trespassing, public urination and defecation has also been problematic.3
Many individuals and business owners have noticed more homeless persons committing crimes. Oshawa’s mayor stated: “People are scared of walking from their business to their vehicles, day or night. Business owners are witnessing individuals urinating and defecating on doorsteps and in parking lots, and drug paraphernalia is being found daily around their places of business.”
Due to the pressures of COVID-19, homelessness has spiked in Oshawa. As a result, the incidence of the types of crimes mentioned here has increased. It has also been noted that human trafficking has been an issue. Individuals seeking help with mental health and addiction issues in Oshawa “are being victimized by people of the criminal element.”4
What Initiatives Are Being Taken in Durham to Minimize Crime?
Despite these initiatives, requests and appeals have been made to handle the influx of crime in Oshawa. These requests have been for increased surveillance, a closed-circuit TV system, and more police patrol by foot and vehicle.
If approved, it has been reported that such initiatives would be funded through Durham Regional Police Services’ annual budget. In the interim, businesses have chosen to escort clients to their cars, and the City of Oshawa has hired private security.”5
Footnotes
- Maclean’s October 14, 2010. “Canada’s Most Dangerous Cities: The Rankings.” Macleans.ca, November 22, 2017. https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-good-bad-and-ugly/.
- “Moving to Oshawa – What’s to Know?: High Level Movers.” Toronto High Level Movers, November 2, 2021. https://highlevelmovers.ca/moving-to-oshawa-whats-to-know/#:~:text=As%20a%20result%2C%20the%20crime,great%20perk%20for%20every%20parent.
- Mitchell, Jeff. “’Influx of Criminality:’ Mayor Calls on Police for Help in Dealing with Spike in Crime in Downtown Oshawa.” thestar.com, September 15, 2020. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/09/15/influx-of-criminality-mayor-calls-on-police-for-help-in-dealing-with-spike-in-crime-in-downtown-oshawa.html.
- Rosen, Brittany. “Oshawa, Ont., Mayor Pleads for Help from Police to Manage Downtown Safety Concerns – Durham.” Global News. Global News, September 14, 2020. https://globalnews.ca/news/7334437/oshawa-mayor-pleads-police-safety-concerns/.
- Ibid.
Recent Oshawa Cases & Success Stories
CASE STUDY: Oshawa DUI
Our client was found by a police officer in the live lane of traffic while asleep in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. The vehicle was running. Police arrested Ms. M once they arrived on the scene.
CASE STUDY: Impaired Driving in Oshawa
Mr. G was charged with having care and control of a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 80. Mr. G was also charged with having care and control of a motor vehicle while being impaired. Mr. G was found asleep in his motor vehicle.
CASE STUDY: Charges Domestic Assault x2 in Oshawa
In the early fall of 2022, a verbal disagreement erupted between the complainant and Ms. G, revolving around household chores.
CASE STUDY: Assault Charges
Our client, Mr. S, was facing several serious assault charges. The complainant, his spouse, alleged that Mr. S had assaulted her a number of times. Mr. S denied these allegations. These charges were particularly serious as they related to an intimate partner–if convicted, our client was facing likely jail time.
CASE STUDY: Impaired Driving, Over 80 in Oshawa
With the Crown unwilling to withdraw the criminal charges against our client, the goal was to go to trial and to have our client found not guilty.
CASE STUDY: Impaired Care or Control and Care or Control Over 80 in Oshawa
Given that the Crown was unwilling to withdraw the charge, the very clear goal in this case was simply to show the trial judge that Mr. E. had no intention of moving his vehicle from its resting point in the visitor’s parking of the townhouse complex.
CASE STUDY: Charges Withdrawn – Over 80
Mr. C experienced what many of us have in the past; an argument with his partner. At the time he was only a few minutes from his house at a local bar. He wanted to return home quickly due to the fight, so he finished his beer, got in his car, and began to drive home.
CASE STUDY: Conditional Discharge – Assault Causing Bodily Harm
An accused that agrees to participate in counselling, community service hours, and agreements to uphold the peace, saves the government money and helps put the accused back in society where they can be a productive citizen.
CASE STUDY: Charges Withdrawn – Drug Trafficking
Mr. P had lived in Canada since the early 2010s but was not a full citizen. A criminal conviction could result in his deportation. He had a personal and professional life for himself here, including family members, and did not want to be forced to leave.
CASE STUDY: Plea Down to Careless Driving – Over 80
Mr. W’s position as a hockey coach, his new job, and his future goals to start a business and own a home were at risk. He’d been convicted for the same offence once before and knew a second conviction could be worse.
CASE STUDY: Plead Down to Non-Criminal Charge in Oshawa – Over 80
Dan Lemaire’s familiarity with Charter rights often serves as a major asset for his clients, and Ms. C is a perfect example of this.
CASE STUDY: Evidence Inadmissible and Charge Dismissed – Over 80
The evidence collected after Mr. M told the officer he accepted duty counsel as his representation was deemed inadmissible, and the charges of over 80 were dismissed. Mr. M left the courtroom that day without fear that a criminal record might harm his business or his family.
What Oshawa Clients Say About Us
Criminal Lawyer (Review)
“It’s never a nice feeling having to choose a criminal defence lawyer, but a quick google search will show the team at Aitken and Robertson to have the highest ratings in the Oshawa area.
I was able to meet directly with Richard himself within a week of my first call to the office. He was professional and was able to alleviate many worries I had about my charges. Richard set some realistic goals based on previous cases he worked. Over the next couple weeks, Richard and his team reached a deal beyond my initial expectation.
My matter was ended within 6 weeks of receiving the charges. I only had to make one appearance and the team took care of the rest. I’d like to give a special thanks to Richard, Madeline, and the team of paralegals that worked on my case. They achieved the best possible outcome and I cannot thank them enough.
I truly hope I don’t find myself needing his services again, but I’d 100% recommend these guys to anyone who finds themselves in a difficult legal situation.”
Over 80 mg Reduced to Careless Driving – Ajax
“I was charged with over 80 in December last year in Ajax. I hired Richard Aitken in Aitken Robertson. I was very relieved when I got careless. The price is very reasonable for the charge. The firm’s staff is very pleasant, friendly and always available for questions I had. When I was charged I was very stressed. Richard Aitken put my mind at ease and addressed the situation in clear, and professional manner.”
Criminal Offence Reduced – No Criminal Record
“I was charged with blood alcohol over 0.8 in Oshawa, Ontario. It is the first that I have been charged or arrested. After doing a lot on-line research I found Aitken Robertson. The reviews were excellent, so I contacted the hotline. I had an immediate response in 15 minutes. They were professional, quick and responsive and they ended up getting my charge reduced. I would recommend their services to anybody.”
Over 80mg Reduced to Careless Driving
“I was charged with over 80 in Pickering, Ontario and the matter was brought up in Oshawa Court. Richard Aitken of Aitken Robertson was able to get that reduced to a careless driving traffic ticket and $500 fine. I am very happy with the result as I avoided criminal conviction and it doesn’t affect my career. The price was fair for the result I obtained. I would highly recommend the firm.”
Possession of an Illegal Drug
“On August 19, 2014, I was charged with possession of an illegal drug in the City of Whitby, Ontario. I contact Mr. Aitken right away regarding the matter. We discussed the matter over the phone, where he presented me with my options. I told him what I wanted, which he said was possible. The Crown was looking for a guilty plea with a fine but Mr. Aitken was able to have the fines dropped to nothing and my case was then withdrawn by the Crown. I do find that Mr. Aitken’s rates were fair for the matter that was presented. I would refer this law firm anytime.”
Impaired Driving and Over 80 Charges
“I was charged in Port Perry, Ontario with Impaired Driving and Over 80 mg in June of 2014. Mr. Richard Aitken was the lawyer that dealt with my case. Due to my prior three DUI convictions, the Crown was seeking a prison term somewhere in the range of 60 days. Richard was able to get it reduced down to house arrest, a 5-year driving suspension and 3 years probation. Richard was knowledgeable and did not leave any of my questions unanswered or leave me confused. Aitken Robertson was very professional and fairly expedited and I would recommend them to anyone.”
Driving While Suspended
“Recently, while travelling on Hwy 401 near Whitby, I was charged with driving while suspended. This was very traumatic. I was very unsure of my future. The arresting officer suggested that jail time was a very good possibility. Through investigations, I was directed to Aitken Robertson Criminal Lawyers. I met with Mr. Aitken and from our first meeting, he guided me through the entire process. He was helpful, straightforward and continued to remind me of my options. It was suggested the I plead guilty.
The entire Aitken Robertson Team always treated me with professional courtesy. Mr. Aitken, confirmed that jail time would be requested from the Crown and I did plead guilty. During sentencing, the crown did ask for jail time and a further suspension but Mr. Aitken asked for a one year driving suspension and a fine. Ultimately, Her Honour agreed.
I am very thankful for the efforts put into my case by this team. The fees are very reasonable and worth every penny.”
