Legal Resources

This section of BC Provincial Court website has information and guides you can use to deal with criminal matters. Includes info on basic criminal procedure, a criminal case flowchart, and sentencing.

Explains Indigenous Courts including locations, how they work, and their goals.

Explains what judges must consider when imposing a sentence if someone pleads guilty to a criminal charge or is found guilty after a trial.

Explains the stages in a criminal case, with links to details about the bail hearing, the initial appearance, the arraignment hearing, the preliminary hearing, the Provincial Court trial, and sentencing.

The Parole Board of Canada is an independent group that makes decisions about early release, record suspensions, and clemency. They help reintegrate offenders into society while focusing on public safety. Includes information for victims of crime.

This chapter is from the manual used by law students handling cases at LSLAP’s legal clinics. It includes an overview of criminal procedure and sentencing in the youth justice context.

This chapter on criminal law is from the manual used by law students handling cases at LSLAP’s legal clinics. It focuses primarily on criminal procedure and case management. It also provides an overview of Charter rights in the criminal context, sentencing, and criminal records.

Explains what witnesses will need to do if the person accused of committing the crime they witnessed is formally charged and the case goes to court.

Links to information sheets. Topics include the BC prosecution service (in multiple languages), the role of Crown counsel (in multiple languages), special prosecutors, bail, intimate partner violence prosecutions, sentencing, high-risk and long-term and dangerous offenders, publication bans, information for witnesses, and charges against police.

Find information about sentencing. Topics include sentencing principles and purposes, deciding on a sentence, serving a sentence, victim notification, and jury duty.