Arson Lawyers Calgary

If you are facing arson charges, you need a criminal defence lawyer in Calgary to look at your case as soon as possible. A conviction on arson charges can carry serious penalties including expensive fines and jail time.

Strategic Criminal Defence is a top Google-rated criminal defence firm in Calgary, with over 500 5-star reviews. Our firm, and our experienced legal team, have defended clients in over 10,000 criminal cases. Leveraging our extensive network of lawyers and decades of experience, we craft defence strategies to help those accused of arson beat the charge.

The lawyers at Strategic Criminal Defence are both highly experienced and dedicated to defending your rights and future in the face of these charges. Contact a criminal defence lawyer today by calling (403) 719-6410.

Arson Offence Charges

Arson is an offence whose main component is the dangerous use of fire or explosives.

Fire is unpredictable and capable of causing enormous danger to human life and damage to property. Because of this, the Courts tend to take arson charges very seriously, even those that involve relatively small fires. It is therefore critical that you have a competent criminal defence lawyer to thoroughly review the case against you and ensure you get the best result.

There are 5 different arson offences:

  1. Setting a fire that causes bodily harm or being reckless as to whether the property is occupied by one or more people
  2. Setting a fire intentionally or recklessly that causes damage to another person’s property
  3. Setting a fire on your own property that damages your own property and seriously threatens the health, safety, or property of another person
  4. Causing damage by fire to the property with the intent of committing fraud (e.g. collecting insurance money)
  5. Letting a fire get out of control and cause bodily harm to another person by being negligent

Definitive Guide to Arson Charges in Canada

If you or a loved one has been charged with arson, your best defence is an experienced legal team. Read our comprehensive guide to arson to learn about the charges, defences, and punishments.

Read The Guide

Bail Condition for Arson Charges

The police take these offences extremely seriously and often seek very restrictive release terms at the bail stage. If they believe you were intoxicated when you started the fire, or it was committed at night, you will likely face a strict curfew as a condition to your release. In addition, you will face a ban on possessing anything that can be used to start a fire (matches, lighter, gas, propane, etc.)

Defending Arson Charge

Large arsons will often cause the police to send in a large team of specialists to determine the cause and reason for the fire. This in turn will create a great deal of complicated expert evidence and police reports. When the stakes are this high, you will need a confident and diligent defence lawyer to interpret those reports and other information in order to identify and target the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.

Our thorough review of every document generated by the investigation may focus on the following areas:

  • Will the prosecution be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you started the fire or explosion?
  • Is there a credible alternative explanation for the cause of the fire?
  • Are there any eyewitnesses that saw you do it? Are their statements unreliable or untrustworthy?
  • Did anyone else have a motive to start the fire?
  • Did you take all necessary safety precautions before starting the fire?

The Sentence

Depending on which type of arson you are charged with, you could face a maximum jail sentence of 10 years, 14 years, or LIFE.

In addition, the Crown will almost certainly ask the Judge to make an order that you pay the victims back for the full amount of damage caused by the fire or explosion. For all but the smallest fires, this can quickly translate into several thousand dollars.

The consequences are too serious to deal with this offence alone. Let our experienced criminal defence lawyers go to work for you in ensuring the best case is made on your behalf in the sentencing court. We may be able to reduce the amount of damage you are obligated to pay for or arrange a plea to less serious charges. In all cases, we will make sure the Judge is told, in an accurate and persuasive way, about your positive qualities and your future prospects for rehabilitation.

Contact Us

If you have been charged with a criminal offence, you need legal advice. Contact our Calgary criminal lawyers today for a free consultation.

Client Reviews

Michael Oykhman is a very professional lawyer and the first time I spoke to him he asked about my situation and he gave me some very helpful advice and assistance and also told me his odds of winning this case. During the days I was in contact with micheal I could feel the level of professionalism of him and his team, he is able to respond back to you with any questions you have within 24 hours. In the end he was as successful in helping me win my case as he had initially promised me.If you are still struggling to find a lawyer, I highly recommend Michael Oykhman.

R.W.

Please give yourself a favour and contact Mr. Michael Oykhman if you need any legal advice or if you are in a terrible situation. Even-tough, the odds are not in your favour, still they will go extra miles to help you out in bad situation and get you favourable outcome. Moreover, They will work on your file even after the business hours. I don’t have words to say thanks to Mr. Michael oykhman and Kiran Cheema who had worked on my file and get me out of trouble. I’m very grateful for your assistance and exceptional service. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Y.
Laura Bobyn my lawyer was amazing and so supportive of my case and me. She fought with Tenacity to get my victory. It was amazing to hear how knowledgeable and how her attention to every little detail of my case was shown in her defence! She is the best and I would recommend her to anyone of my colleagues or people in my life! Thank you, Laura!
P.D.

This law firm is your go-to!

I had the pleasure of working and trusting my case with Joseph Beller. I had 2 counts against me, and in the end, Joseph was able to present and use his “fighter skills” in court to have my charges lowered to a conditional discharge. On top of this, this firm follows its mission values statement by being ethical, transparent, available, and very friendly. Joseph and his team treated me with the utmost respect from start to finish. Thank you again, Joseph! I hope to never call you again 😊

R.R.

Joseph Beller, from the very beginning when I first contacted and then retained Joseph as my representative I felt I was in good hands. When I emailed him with a question. I got a prompt response. We communicated often on the phone as needed. Joseph kept me informed as to the process. He made sure I knew all the potential results so I knew and could plan for the different outcomes. I know this his his job. But appreciate his professionalism and also his ability to not make me feel any extra stress. Well done.

N.B.
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