I am writing this article at the end of 2022. Unfortunately, this is not good news. We are now approaching the end of the COVID backlog in the courts and things are starting to shift with Stunt Driving charges in the Ontario courts. Penalties are getting tougher and Prosecutors are less amenable to compromise. Let’s investigate the issue and potential solutions.
How did you fight Stunt Driving in the Ontario courts prior to May 2022?
We had a few factors that were helping us fight Stunt Driving charges during COVID, the lockdowns. Traffic Ticket firms and X-Cop firms were able to use the backlog of the Pandemic to easily assist with amending Stunt Driving charges to lesser penalties. This was good news for anyone charged with this type of offence.
Think of this in terms of the Real Estate market. When the market was super hot, if you listed your house, you would get 20 bids and sell within 1 day. Great, right? Real Estate agents had it easy. They simply listed your house, and the market did all the work. Think of your house as your Stunt Driving charge. Think of the Hot real estate market as the courts, and think of the real estate agent as your Traffic Ticket representative. Everything moved in an automated, easy fashion. You got charged, the courts were flooded with other charges, and your Representative was able to get a great result with little work.
All of that just ended – now the real work begins for Stunt Driving charges
Courts are back to normal capacity and the Attorney General is starting to come down hard on Stunt Driving charges.
We have already seen in many courts that Prosecutors are coming down hard on Stunt Driving. Jail is back on the table. Elevated fines are back in play. And once the radar confirms your speed, Prosecutors are back in the position of power. Now comes the real work if you want to keep driving.
You may need the expertise of a Stunt law firm, not a Traffic Ticket firm
Listen carefully to this logic…
If a criminal Crown is directing the Ontario courts for Stunt, it is a completely different playing field. Criminal Crowns come from criminal courts. They regularly deal with charges such as DUI, assault and murder. They see very serious charges and penalties. So when a Crown is controlling the Provincial courts, as we are now seeing in many jurisdictions, they don’t see a 1-year driving suspension as a very serious penalty. So they take a different type of approach when dealing with your case.
It may take a law firm that deals with the Criminal Crowns on a regular basis to help
A law firm deals with Criminal Crowns on a regular basis. Traffic Ticket firms do not. Traffic Ticket firms mainly deal with Provincial Prosecutors. So if you want to keep driving, you will need to hire a firm that speaks the language of the Crown. And the good news – it all starts with a free consultation, so there is no expense or risk for you to understand the strategy. Book a call and keep your license.
What was the situation with Stunt Driving charges in Ontario prior to 2023?
Before 2023, the lockdowns caused by COVID led to a backlog in the Ontario courts, which allowed Traffic Ticket firms and X-Cop firms to assist with reducing Stunt Driving charges to lesser penalties. This was because the court system was overwhelmed and the prosecutors were more willing to compromise.
What is changing with Stunt Driving charges in Ontario after 2022?
After 2022, the court system has returned to normal capacity and the Attorney General has started to take a tougher stance on Stunt Driving charges. Prosecutors are now less amenable to compromise and jail time and elevated fines are back in play. To defend against Stunt Driving charges, it may be necessary to hire a law firm that regularly deals with Criminal Crowns instead of just a Traffic Ticket firm.
