Ontario directory

Criminal Defence Law Firms in Niagara Region, Ontario

29 law firms.

What does a criminal defence lawyer in Niagara Region do?

A criminal defence lawyer in Niagara Region represents people charged with an offence, from the first police contact through bail, disclosure, trial, and sentencing. Common files include impaired driving, assault, drug charges, and theft or fraud. Most charges laid in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Welland start at the Ontario Court of Justice, and the most serious ones move to the Superior Court of Justice. Both sit at the St. Catharines courthouse on 59 Church Street. The lawyer reviews the Crown's disclosure, argues bail, negotiates where a resolution fits, and tests the evidence at trial.

How do criminal charges move through the Niagara courts?

Almost every charge begins in the Ontario Court of Justice, and that's where most of Niagara's criminal matters are resolved. Charges are laid under the Criminal Code, which is federal law that applies the same way in Grimsby or Fort Erie as it does anywhere else in Canada. Niagara Falls sits right on the US border, but a charge laid here is still prosecuted under Canadian law in an Ontario court. Summary and most hybrid offences stay in the Ontario Court of Justice. Indictable matters, and cases where you elect a higher court or a jury, proceed to the Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines.

What if you can't afford a lawyer?

If you're facing a charge that could send you to jail and you can't afford a lawyer, Legal Aid Ontario can help. Duty counsel are available at the courthouse on the day of your appearance to give advice, help with bail, and speak to the court on routine matters. For ongoing representation, Legal Aid may issue a certificate that pays for a lawyer if you meet the financial and charge criteria. It's worth applying early. Acting fast also protects your options on bail and disclosure, both of which move quickly once a charge is laid.

How do you choose a criminal defence firm in Niagara Region?

Start with a firm that regularly handles your kind of charge, whether that's a first impaired driving case or a serious indictable matter. Ask who will actually appear for you, how they approach bail and disclosure, and whether they're comfortable running a trial rather than only resolving. A local firm knows the St. Catharines and Welland courts and the Crowns who staff them, which helps. You can confirm any lawyer's standing on the Law Society of Ontario directory. Browse the criminal defence firms in Niagara Region below.

10(B) Criminal Law Center is a criminal defence firm in St. Catharines, Ontario led by lawyer Sidney Zarabi. The firm represents clients before the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice on charges ran…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceLegal aidLegal Aid

Anwar Immigration Law Office provides strategic legal representation in criminal defense, civil litigation, immigration, refugee, and real estate matters across Ontario. The firm handles appeals at all levels and judi…

Immigration LawImmigration LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionReal Estate LawReal Estate Law

AveryLaw

1 lawyer

AveryLaw operates the Impaired Driving Defence Centre, a Toronto-based practice that focuses exclusively on DUI and impaired driving defence across Ontario, with a satellite office in St. Catharines. Lawyer Christophe…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

Blackadder Leon Marion & Fazari LLP is a full-service law firm in the Niagara Region that's been serving clients for over 50 years. The firm handles real estate, estate law, wills, business, family law, criminal defen…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawFamily LawFamily Law

Chera Law Office

3 lawyers

Chera Law Office is a Mississauga-based firm handling personal injury, real estate, and wills and estates matters, with additional by-appointment offices in Niagara Falls and St. Thomas. Founding lawyer Ravdeep Chera …

Personal InjuryPersonal InjuryReal Estate LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsTax LawTax Law

Collett Read LLP

9 lawyers

Collett Read LLP is a criminal defence firm headquartered beside the John Sopinka courthouse in Hamilton, with offices in Burlington, Brampton, Mississauga, Waterloo, St. Catharines, and Oshawa. It practises exclusive…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceFamily LawFamily LawLegal aidLegal Aid

Daley, Byers

3 lawyers

Daley, Byers is a criminal defence firm serving clients across Ontario. It was founded by Bruce Daley and Kenneth R. Byers, who were both called to the bar in 1981, and it takes defence work only. Beyond Criminal Code…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefencePersonal InjuryPersonal Injury

East Law

1 lawyer

East Law is a criminal defence practice based in Hamilton that litigates exclusively in criminal law. It defends charges ranging from murder and drug trafficking to domestic assault and impaired driving, at the Ontari…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

George F. Walker, Q.C. is a sole-practitioner criminal defence lawyer in Niagara Falls, Ontario, certified as a Specialist in Criminal Law. He has represented clients on charges under the Criminal Code of Canada and t…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

Harry W Fieguth is a barrister and solicitor serving the Niagara Falls community with experience in criminal law, civil law, and family law. The firm handles cases of all types and offers services including criminal l…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionFamily LawFamily LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Hassaan & Associates

2 lawyers · Est. 2007

Hassaan & Associates is a progressive law firm established in 2007 serving the Grimsby and Milton communities. The firm specializes in residential and commercial real estate, family law, criminal law, immigration, wil…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawFamily LawFamily LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceImmigration LawImmigration Law

J. Leigh Daboll Law Office is a rural-based practice providing legal representation across a broad range of services including family, criminal, civil litigation, estates, business litigation, and regulatory matters. …

Family LawFamily LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Jeffrey D. Root Law is a criminal defence firm based in Welland, Ontario, serving clients across the Niagara Region and southern Ontario. Senior partner Jeffrey Root has practised criminal defence since being called t…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

John K. Lefurgey

1 lawyer

Solo practice in St. Catharines focusing on criminal defence and appeals with emphasis on overlap between criminal and mental health law. Lawyer brings diverse life experience including work as irrigation supervisor, …

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Joseph LoConte is one of the Niagara Region's most experienced and successful criminal defence lawyers with over 30 years of experience. His practice focuses on defending clients charged with criminal offences, provid…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

Keshav Agnihotri Barrister, Solicitor & Notary is a sole-practitioner firm in St. Catharines, Ontario. Keshav Agnihotri holds an LL.B. as well as advanced degrees in chemistry (M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D.) and practises…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceFamily LawFamily LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionReal Estate LawReal Estate Law

Lancaster Chown & Welch LLP

18 lawyers · Est. 2022

Lancaster Chown & Welch LLP is a St. Catharines law firm formed in 2022 from the merger of three Niagara firms. The firm offers comprehensive legal services to individuals, businesses, institutions, and municipalities.

Personal InjuryPersonal InjuryWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

The Law Office of Christopher A. Raimondo provides criminal defence representation for individuals charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drugs & Substances Act. Located in downtown…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

Luigi W. De Lisio is a sole-practice barrister and solicitor in St. Catharines, Ontario. He's practised law since 1983, handling civil and commercial litigation, criminal and provincial offences, family and matrimonia…

Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceFamily LawFamily LawInsurance LawInsurance Law

McArthur Law is a St. Catharines, Ontario firm advising on criminal, professional, and disciplinary law matters. Its criminal practice is generally limited to the Niagara Region (with the exception of appeal work), ta…

Criminal DefenceCriminal DefenceAdministrative & Regulatory LawAdministrative & Regulatory Law

Michael Peterson Law is a criminal defence practice based in Welland, Ontario, serving the Niagara Region including St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Thorold, Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Port Colborne. Michael Pe…

Criminal DefenceCriminal Defence

Protomanni & Associates operates multiple offices across Ontario (Toronto, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Windsor) and provides comprehensive legal services in family law, criminal law, employment law, civil litigation, im…

Family LawFamily LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceEmployment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionLegal aidLegal Aid

Saini & Kamal Law Professional Corporation has been assisting clients in the Greater Toronto area for more than 20 years. The firm serves residential and commercial property owners, business owners, and clients in imm…

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawReal Estate LawReal Estate LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceImmigration LawImmigration Law

Settimi Law

1 lawyer · Est. 1988

Settimi Law serves the Hamilton and Niagara regions with two offices offering specialized real estate legal services. The firm has closed over 7,000 real estate transactions and also provides services in family law, w…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawFamily LawFamily LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsCriminal DefenceCriminal Defence