A peace bond is an
important agreement that a person makes with the court. Because it is an
official agreement, agreeing to it or being imposed with it has legal
consequences that you have to understand. We’ll talk more about peace bonds in
Canadian criminal cases below.
What is A peace Bond?
A peace bond is an
official agreement between a person and a court stating that he or she will
follow certain rules. The rules may involve refraining from certain actions
such as possessing an object, contacting someone, or frequenting a certain
place.
Peace Bond Validity
The section 18 of the
Canadian criminal code says that a peace bond can last up to a year or 12
months.
Violation of a Peace Bond
Because a peace bond is a
legal agreement with the court, violating the terms of the peace bond is
considered as a criminal offence more so when proven to be done intentionally.
This means that violating the terms of a peace bond can result in prosecution
and/or being fined a penalty. The fine is stipulated in the agreement and can
be as much as $2,000 for a single violation.
Violating a peace bond can
result in jail time of up to 4 years for an indictment and 18 months if
prosecuted by summary conviction.
When to Agree to a Peace Bond
It is best to agree to a
peace bond when you’re sure that you understand the terms you’re agreeing to.
There are times when the prosecutor may offer a peace bond in exchange for
withdrawing charges such as in the case of domestic disputes and some abuse
cases.
Meaning of Agreeing to a Peace Bond
It should be noted that
agreeing to a peace bond does not mean an admission of guilt to any charge and
hence will not be a part of your criminal record. It is simply an agreement stating
that you will not do anything that is specifically stated in the peace bond.
Before you agree to a
peace bond, it is best that you consult with a defence lawyer for guidance as well as making sure
that you fully understand the agreement. Calvin Barry is a Toronto defence attorney who’ll be glad to help you. Talk to Calvin Barry today via Twitter or Facebook for a fast reply!
