If you’ve been released by police, or have made bail, you are usually placed on the “Provincial Court Counter” (or “PCC”) court for your first court appearance. This is sometimes referred to as “adjournment” or “remand” court. This court serves many functions:
- You can sort out who your lawyer is going to be;
- Your lawyer can go on record for you so you may not have to personally appear;
- You can find out which Crown attorney will be prosecuting your case;
- Your lawyer can have discussions with the Crown attorney about:
- the likelihood you will be convicted;
- any issues with disclosure or the evidence against you;
- if you will have a trial on your charge;
- if you decide to plead guilty, what the appropriate sentence ranges are.
If you haven’t made bail, then you still have remand court, but it’s in Courtroom 316 and sometimes called “In Custody” remand court.
There is only a certain amount of time your charges are allowed to remain in remand court. If you run out of time, you may be obligated to set either a trial date or a disposition (guilty plea) date.
The most important function of PCC court is to figure out what you want to do with your charges. You may wish to speak to legal counsel before you decide what to do. If you want Scott Wilson to speak on your behalf and provide legal advice on your charges, please contact him by telephone at (204) 415-5544 ext 5.