I have been charged with a criminal offence and have a remand date.
Remand court in Ontario is where dates for various criminal court proceedings are set. They take place in front of a Justice of the Peace, rather than a Judge. They are generally very short – your remand may last only a minute or two. You should be present at the hearing unless you have made arrangements with your lawyer to attend for you. If you are required to attend remember to dress appropriately in business or business-like attire.
The people who have lawyers
The people in remand court who have lawyers are served first. The lawyers stand up to remand their clients in alphabetical order by the name of the law firm. When it’s your lawyer’s turn, go to the front of the courtroom and stand in the aisle. Your lawyer will speak on your behalf, if you have a lawyer. When the date for your next appearance has been set, you may take your seat or exit the courtroom with your lawyer. Always remember to follow any other directions given to you by your lawyer.
Attending on your own
If you are attending on your own, your name will be called at the end in the order that it appears on the docket sheet. If you do not have a lawyer, you step up to the front to let them know you are here. If you are unrepresented, it is a good idea to speak to duty counsel in the court room who can explain the process and give you advice about your next steps.
