Glossary
In Criminal Law, Types of Offences, Bail, Probation, and Court Attendance, Assault, Driving, Drugs, Firearms, Gender-based violence, Harassment, Mischief, Theft, Threats, Victims and witnesses
An alleged crime is a criminal offence that has not yet been proven in court.
The Allowance is a monthly amount that the Canadian government pays to Canadian citizens and legal residents who:
- have a low income,
- are 60 to 64 years old, and
are married to, or the common-law partners of, people getting Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
The Allowance for the Survivor is a monthly amount that the Canadian government pays to Canadian citizens and legal residents whose spouse or common-law partner has died and who:
- have a low income,
- are 60 to 64 years old, and
meet the minimum residency requirements.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Family Law, Tribunals and Courts
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) or family dispute resolution processes refers to different ways or processes that try to get people to agree on their legal issues without going to court. Some of these processes are collaborative family law, mediation, and arbitration.
In Criminal Law
Alternative measures are different ways to resolve minor criminal charges. Both you and the Crown must agree to alternative measures. This can include:
- community service
- restitution or compensation in cash or services
- mediation
- special programs for counselling
- treatment or education courses, for example, life skills, drug or alcohol treatment, and anger management
If you complete alternative measures, you won’t have a trial and you will not be convicted of the crime you were charged with.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Criminal Law
This is a formal document used to begin a proceeding in court. An information can be used to accuse a person of a criminal offence or to ask for a hearing for a peace bond.
In a criminal proceeding, the information is usually sworn by a police officer who has reasonable and probable grounds to believe the person committed a criminal offence.
In a non-criminal proceeding, a private citizen usually swears an information to ask for a peace bond against someone they have a reasonable fear of. Private citizens can also swear informations for criminal offences.
In Family Law
An annulment is a court order that your marriage was not valid from the start. You might get one if, for example, your partner was still married to someone else when they married you.
It is rare to get an annulment to legally end a marriage. Most of the time you need to get a divorce to legally end a marriage.
To appeal means to ask a higher decision maker to change a decision that you don’t agree with. For example, the higher level decision maker at the WSIB is called an Appeals Resolution Officer.
In Family Law
To appeal means to ask a judge or someone with more power to review a decision that you don’t agree with.
Other parties who are affected by the decision can also appeal.
In Criminal Law
This is a document telling you what you have been charged with and the details of your first appearance in court. These are usually given in less serious matters.
In more serious cases, the police might require an undertaking with conditions you must follow or they might hold you in custody until you have a bail hearing.