OCJ criminal case step by step

This page is a public educational walkthrough. It is not a retainer, a court form, or a promise about your result. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.

1. Read the official OCJ path first

   The usual path is: charge or arrest, bail if you are held, first appearance / case management court, Crown pre-trial, judicial pre-trial, a possible resolution or guilty-plea date, a preliminary inquiry on some indictable charges, then trial. Each date is usually not the trial.

2. A first appearance is usually not a trial

   The court checks identity, counsel, release and the next date. Missing it can produce a warrant.

3. Self-represented accused in Toronto may be streamed to a dedicated court

   The Self-Represented Court pilot at 10 Armoury uses courtroom 101. Check the current OCJ notice before you assume you stay in the regular case-management courtroom.

4. Documents are usually emailed to that courthouse

   Self-represented people who cannot file electronically may still file paper at the counter. Use the courthouse email list on the OCJ site.

5. Peace bonds, private prosecutions and surety papers are OCJ criminal forms

   They are not Family Form 14. They live on the OCJ criminal forms list linked from Court Forms.

6. Get duty counsel or a lawyer if you can

   This page is a map. It is not a defence.

Official law on this site: criminal-law.

Disclaimer: Know The Law publishes legal information for the public, not legal advice. Court forms, fees and filing channels change. Read the official statute text and the official form page linked from this guide before you act. We do not represent you and we do not file documents for you. For legal advice, you should contact an appropriate Lawyer or Paralegal specializing in the area of law you need assistance with.