Need help with Criminal Defence – now?
Lakin Afolabi Law is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced team of criminal lawyers serving London, Ontario in all areas of criminal law, with a special emphasis on defending sexual and domestic assault.
Call or Message Us. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
Criminal Lawyers Near You (Ontario)
Helping Good People in Bad Situations.
Charged with your first criminal offence? Criminal accusations and convictions can be devastating. When you’re in a crisis, speaking to a criminal defence attorney is critical. It can mean the difference between freedom, or jail.Contact us. We will answer.
Sexual Assault
A mere accusation of sexual assault can be devastating. Our team of criminal defence attorneys are skilled and experienced in defending these charges.
Domestic Violence
After a domestic allegation is made to the police, they must lay charges. These charges will be prosecuted even if the victim wants to drop them.
Criminal Defence
Wanted by the police, or considering turning yourself in? We have defended all charges ranging from mischief to murder.
“Thanks Lakin for your incredible service.”
“I love the service that I received from Lakin Afolabi (Miracle man), that’s what I call him, he is easy to talk to and he has your best interest at heart, I was looking at a conditional discharge, but with Lakin’s smooth talking and on point argument the judge gave me an absolute discharge, Lakin made some very good points that I believe the judge looked into and made his final decision.” S.E. | More Google Reviews“Thanks Lakin for your incredible service.
“I love the service that I received from Lakin Afolabi (Miracle man), that’s what I call him, he is easy to talk to and he has your best interest at heart, I was looking at a conditional discharge, but with Lakin smooth talking and on point argument the judge gave me an absolute discharge, Lakin made some very good points that I believe the judge looked into and made his final decision.” S.E. | More Google ReviewsOur Criminal Defence Process
We do not believe that one size fits all. Our system of defence is tailored for you – we listen to you, strategize with you, and then defend you to get you out of the system, or get you the best possible results. Simply put, we work tirelessly to be the best criminal defence lawyers for you and your case.
We Listen to You
Different clients have different interests when they are in the justice system. Some want to clear their name completely, while others want to get out of the system as quickly as possible. Some want to avoid jail at all costs. You may simply want to get back with your family.
There is no one-size-fits-all all approach to law. What is right for one client may not be right for another.
We listen to you to fully understand your specific interest, and then move to pursue it.
We Strategize with You
You are the only one who knows what happened and how it happened. In preparing for trial, we work with you clarify the details.
We find out why things happened the way they did and work hard to understand where and how we can find flaws in the case against you. Our criminal defence attorneys fully prepare for every contingency, even the ones that might not be anticipated.
We devise a plan based on your knowledge and experience of the facts and our knowledge and experience of the law.
We Defend You
After our plan is perfected, we play it out in the courtroom. We are fully prepared by this point and completely ready to defend you.
Receiving a successful outcome on your case can take many forms. It can mean probation instead of jail; complete or partial acquittal; or even only pleading to assault, not admitting to sexual assault allegations.
Success means getting the best results possible – for you.
“Very pleased with the service I received from Lakin.
Had constant contact with him which made me feel much more confident with my defense. Was feeling very insecure heading into this whole process. I outlined to him what I needed in regards to an outcome, and he more than surpassed my expectations. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Lakin…. I will certainly recommend your services to anyone I know who finds themselves in a bind and really doesn’t know where to turn.” D. C.“Lakin helped me with a very important situation recently and I am truly grateful to him.
It was not a criminal matter, but it did involve my 7 year old son. Lakin saw the urgency of the matter and helped me and my son tremendously. He was thorough and professional and came to our rescue.” A. C.Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at my first court appearance?
The first court appearance in a criminal matter is a case management appearance. At the first appearance, the Court will offer to read you your charges and ask for you to elect for your matter to be heard in either English or French. The Court will ask if you have or intend to retain a lawyer. Unless you have already received your disclosure, the matter will be adjourned for the Crown to provide disclosure to either you or your lawyer.
What shows up on a criminal record check?
There are varying depths of criminal record checks. A general criminal record will show any findings of guilt against you. Therefore, if a charge against you is withdrawn, you are acquitted, you resolve your matter by way of a peace bond, and no record will appear. A vulnerable sector criminal record check will flag more material such as peace bonds and discharges. These types of checks may be required to work in occupations such as nursing, old age homes, teaching and more.
How long can the court process last in a criminal matter?
The case of Jordan identifies presumptive ceilings as to how long a matter should take depending on which Court the matter is tried in. These presumptive ceilings exclude any delay caused by the defence or exceptional circumstances. If a matter proceeds in the Ontario Court of Justice, the presumptive ceiling is 18 months. If a matter proceeds in the Superior Court of Justice, the presumptive ceiling is 30 months.
Do I need a lawyer or should I represent myself?
This question depends entirely on the complexity of the case. It is always best to at least discuss your case with a lawyer before making any decisions in a criminal matter. Often your liberty is at stake in a criminal case and a legal professional can assist you to secure better resolution options and ensure you are aware of the potential defences available to you.
What is the difference between the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice?
The Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) is a lower-level court relative to the Superior Court of Justice. The OCJ is the Court of first instance for most criminal matters. A matter may only be heard by a judge alone in the OCJ. There is no option to be tried by a judge and jury. The SCJ is the Court of first instance for some serious criminal matters and also hears appeals from the OCJ. In some circumstances, you will have a choice to elect whether a matter should be tried in the OCJ or the SCJ. There are various considerations which must be taken into account when making this election such as whether you want to be tried by a judge alone or a judge with a jury and the different time frames for prosecution.
Can I be prosecuted based on one person’s statement?
The statement of one witness can be considered sufficient evidence for the Prosecution to proceed with a case against you. In certain cases, guilt can be found upon the testimony of a single witness without corroboration. This is why it is so important to have fearless advocates on your side to identify weaknesses in the case against you and work out fair and effective resolutions as early as possible.
Am I eligible for house arrest if I am found guilty?
The availability of house arrest as a form of punishment has been greatly expanded by the passing of bill C-5. With very few exceptions, house arrest is now available where there is no mandatory minimum period of incarceration, where the proposed period of house arrest would be under 2 years, and most importantly where such a sentence would be consistent with the principles of sentencing and would not endanger the community.
What happens at my first court appearance?
The first court appearance in a criminal matter is a case management appearance. At the first appearance, the Court will offer to read you your charges and ask for you to elect for your matter to be heard in either English or French. The Court will ask if you have or intend to retain a lawyer. Unless you have already received your disclosure, the matter will be adjourned for the Crown to provide disclosure to either you or your lawyer.
What shows up on a criminal record check?
There are varying depths of criminal record checks. A general criminal record will show any findings of guilt against you. Therefore, if a charge against you is withdrawn, you are acquitted, you resolve your matter by way of a peace bond, and no record will appear. A vulnerable sector criminal record check will flag more material such as peace bonds and discharges. These types of checks may be required to work in occupations such as nursing, old age homes, teaching and more.
How long can the court process last in a criminal matter?
The case of Jordan identifies presumptive ceilings as to how long a matter should take depending on which Court the matter is tried in. These presumptive ceilings exclude any delay caused by the defence or exceptional circumstances. If a matter proceeds in the Ontario Court of Justice, the presumptive ceiling is 18 months. If a matter proceeds in the Superior Court of Justice, the presumptive ceiling is 30 months.
Do I need a lawyer or should I represent myself?
This question depends entirely on the complexity of the case. It is always best to at least discuss your case with a lawyer before making any decisions in a criminal matter. Often your liberty is at stake in a criminal case and a legal professional can assist you to secure better resolution options and ensure you are aware of the potential defences available to you.
What is the difference between the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice?
The Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) is a lower-level court relative to the Superior Court of Justice. The OCJ is the Court of first instance for most criminal matters. A matter may only be heard by a judge alone in the OCJ. There is no option to be tried by a judge and jury. The SCJ is the Court of first instance for some serious criminal matters and also hears appeals from the OCJ. In some circumstances, you will have a choice to elect whether a matter should be tried in the OCJ or the SCJ. There are various considerations which must be taken into account when making this election such as whether you want to be tried by a judge alone or a judge with a jury and the different time frames for prosecution.
Can I be prosecuted based on one person’s statement?
The statement of one witness can be considered sufficient evidence for the Prosecution to proceed with a case against you. In certain cases, guilt can be found upon the testimony of a single witness without corroboration. This is why it is so important to have fearless advocates on your side to identify weaknesses in the case against you and work out fair and effective resolutions as early as possible.
Am I eligible for house arrest if I am found guilty?
The availability of house arrest as a form of punishment has been greatly expanded by the passing of bill C-5. With very few exceptions, house arrest is now available where there is no mandatory minimum period of incarceration, where the proposed period of house arrest would be under 2 years, and most importantly where such a sentence would be consistent with the principles of sentencing and would not endanger the community.
24-Hour Criminal Lawyers
The Police lay charges 24/7. We answer the phone 24/7. When the police show up at your door, you might have a lot of questions. Do you have to let them in? Can they search your phone? What can they seize? What should you say? What do you have to tell them?
Sometimes it’s what you don’t say to the police that can result in your freedom.
Legal advice is invaluable when you have these questions. That’s why we prioritize being accessible to you. Our criminal lawyers will do their very best to answer your phone call and meet with you as soon as possible.
If for some reason you cannot reach us by phone, send us a message and we will get back to you immediately.
24-Hour Criminal Lawyers
The Police lay charges 24/7. We answer the phone 24/7. When the police show up at your door, you might have a lot of questions. Do you have to let them in? Can they search your phone? What can they seize? What should you say? What do you have to tell them?
Sometimes it’s what you don’t say to the police that can result in your freedom.
Legal advice is invaluable when you have these questions. That’s why we prioritize being accessible to you. Our criminal lawyers will do their very best to answer your phone call and meet with you as soon as possible.
If for some reason you cannot reach us by phone, send us a message and we will get back to you immediately.
Areas We Serve
Areas We Serve
