Guilty Pleas in the Canadian Criminal Justice System
Neha Chugh,
Jon Fuller,
Deborah Kinsella
General Editor(s):
Brian H. Greenspan,
Vincenzo Rondinelli
Guilty Pleas in the Canadian Criminal Justice System provides a comprehensive and practical examination of an often overlooked stage of the Canadian criminal justice process. While considerable attention is given to sentencing, this landmark resource focuses on the critical first step: ensuring that a guilty plea is properly considered, entered, and accepted before sentencing can proceed.
Drawing on perspectives from the Crown, defence, and judiciary, this guide examines the importance of the guilty plea process beyond procedural requirements. False guilty pleas lead to wrongful convictions, emphasizing the need for counsel to understand the circumstances and pressures that can influence an accused person’s decision to plead guilty.
The text addresses plea discussions and agreements, the requirements of a proper plea agreement, ethical considerations, aggravating and mitigating facts, sentencing preparation, alternatives and special pleas, withdrawing guilty pleas, and appeals. Balancing efficiency with fairness and the rights of the accused, this practical resource equips criminal justice professionals with the knowledge to navigate guilty pleas and plea negotiations effectively and responsibly.