1. Understand what should be in your disclosure
Question & Answer
What documents does the Crown have to give me?Disclosure is the information that the police and the Crown have about your case. Disclosure can include:
- a police summary of the case, also called a synopsis
- a Crown screening form
- police officer's notes
- witness statements
- surveillance video and photos
- financial documents
- forensic reports
The Crown must give you a copy of everything they have that is relevant to your case, unless the information is privileged. “Privileged” means the information is confidential and can't be shared or used at . For example, communication between a lawyer and their client or between a doctor and patient is privileged.
Crown Screening Form
The Crown Screening form is an important part of your . It is, also called the Charge Screening form. This form tells you how the Crown plans to deal with your charges. For example, if you have been charged with a hybrid offence, the form will tell you whether the Crown will be proceeding or by .
Look at this chart to learn more about summary, indictable, and hybrid offences.
The form will also tell you:
- what kind of the Crown will ask for
- if you can early to have some of your charges dropped
- if you have been approved for diversion
This information will help you decide how you want to deal with your charges.