Criminal Lawyer in Sherwood Park
Clear Legal Guidance When It Matters Most
A criminal allegation can affect your freedom, employment, reputation, family, and future. The decisions you make early may also affect how your case moves forward.
Kurie Moore LLP is a boutique litigation firm based in Sherwood Park. Our Criminal Law lawyers dedicate their practices to criminal defence. You will work with a lawyer who deals with criminal matters every day, not someone dividing their attention across unrelated areas of law.
We represent people facing police investigations, arrests, criminal charges, bail hearings, court appearances, trials, and appeals throughout Sherwood Park, Edmonton, and surrounding Alberta communities.
Fill out the form below for a confidential review of your case.
Meet Our Lawyers
Dedicated professionals committed to justice and client advocacy.
Kaitlyn Moore
Taylor Clark
Megan Somos (formerly, Charron)
Abena Wiafe
Carmen Boucher
Rochelle Makombe
Skeptical of the Process
Criminal Allegations Bring Questions. Your Lawyer Should Bring Clarity.
You may be searching because police have contacted you. You may have been arrested, released with conditions, or given a date to appear in court. You may also be trying to help a family member who has been charged.
At Kurie Moore LLP, we provide discreet, focused Criminal Law representation for people in Sherwood Park and surrounding Alberta communities. Our role is to identify the legal issues, explain what matters now, protect your rights, and build a defence strategy based on the evidence and circumstances of your case.
You do not need to solve the situation before contacting a lawyer. That is the lawyer’s job.
At this stage, it is common to have more questions than answers:
Critical Timelines
What You Do Early Can Shape What Happens Later
The early stages of a criminal matter are not simply administrative. Statements, release conditions, court dates, and communications with police can all carry legal consequences. Getting advice early can help you avoid making decisions without knowing how they may affect your position.
Speaking With Police
You may feel pressure to explain what happened, correct a misunderstanding, or show that you have nothing to hide. A statement given to police may later become evidence.
Before answering questions about an alleged offence, speak with a lawyer about your rights and the risks connected to giving a statement.
Following Release Conditions
If you have been released, your documents may contain conditions about contact, communication, locations, alcohol, weapons, or other activities.
Those conditions remain in effect until they are changed by the court or otherwise legally addressed. A separate allegation may arise if police believe a condition has been breached.
Attending Court
A first appearance is not usually a trial, but it is still a formal court proceeding. Your next steps may involve obtaining disclosure, addressing bail or release issues, entering a plea at the proper stage, or setting future dates.
Criminal matters in Alberta begin in the Alberta Court of Justice, which handles first appearances, bail hearings, pleas, many trials, and sentencing proceedings.
Protecting More Than the Case
A charge may raise concerns about employment, professional licensing, travel, parenting arrangements, immigration status, or reputation. The possible impact depends on the allegation, the person’s circumstances, and the eventual outcome.
Early advice helps identify which concerns are real, which require immediate attention, and which should not drive rushed decisions.
Areas of Practice
Focused Defence for Criminal Charges and Investigations
Our Criminal Law lawyers assist clients at different stages of the legal process, from an initial police investigation through trial, sentencing, or appeal.
Impaired Driving and DUI
Advice and representation for criminal impaired driving allegations, refusal charges, driving prohibitions, and related proceedings.
Assault
Defence for assault allegations ranging from common assault to more serious charges involving bodily harm, weapons, or other aggravating circumstances.
Domestic Assault Allegations
Representation where an allegation involves a spouse, partner, former partner, or family member. These matters may also affect contact, housing, parenting, and Emergency Protection Order proceedings.
Drug Offences
Defence for possession, trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking, production, and other allegations under federal drug laws.
Theft, Fraud, and Property Offences
Representation for theft, fraud, possession of stolen property, mischief, break and enter, and related allegations.
Sexual Assault Allegations
Discreet defence representation for sexual assault allegations and related offences. These cases require careful analysis of statements, evidence, credibility, and procedural rights.
Youth Criminal Defence
Representation for young people charged under Canada’s youth justice system, with clear guidance for both the young person and their family.
Bail Hearings and Release Issues
Representation at bail hearings and assistance with release conditions, detention concerns, alleged breaches, and applications to change conditions where appropriate.
Criminal Appeals
Advice on possible appeal grounds following a conviction, sentence, or other appealable decision.
Your charge does not need to fit neatly into one of these categories before you contact us. We can review what has happened and identify the legal issues requiring attention.
Understanding the Law
What Is a Criminal Charge in Sherwood Park?
A criminal charge is a formal accusation that a person committed an offence. It is not a finding of guilt, and it is not a conviction.
Police investigate reported or suspected offences. When they believe there are reasonable grounds to lay a charge, the accused may be arrested, formally charged, released with a future court date, or held for a bail hearing.
People searching “what is a criminal charge Sherwood Park” are often trying to answer a more personal question: what does this mean for me now?
The answer depends on several factors:
- The offence alleged
- The evidence collected
- What was said to police
- The terms of release
- The person’s prior record, if any
- The legal and factual issues in the case
- The way the Crown chooses to proceed
A charge begins the court process. It does not decide the outcome.
The next step is to obtain the relevant information, review the evidence, and determine how the allegation can be addressed.
Step-by-Step Pathway
What Happens After a Criminal Charge?
No two cases follow exactly the same path. Still, this criminal charge overview for Sherwood Park clients explains the main stages that may arise.
Police may begin by collecting statements, reviewing records, examining physical or electronic evidence, or contacting the person under investigation. An arrest can happen during the investigation or after police decide to lay charges.
Some people are released by police with conditions and a court date. Others are held for a bail hearing. Release conditions may restrict contact, communication, travel, locations, substance use, weapons, or other conduct. These terms need to be taken seriously from the moment they are imposed.
The first appearance confirms that the case is before the court and allows procedural steps to begin. It is generally not the point where witnesses testify or the court decides guilt. All criminal court appearances in Alberta begin in the Alberta Court of Justice.
Disclosure is the material the prosecution provides about its case. It may include police reports, witness statements, photographs, recordings, expert reports, or other evidence. Disclosure needs to be reviewed carefully. The existence of evidence does not automatically mean that the evidence is complete, reliable, admissible, or sufficient to prove the allegation.
The lawyer considers the evidence, the client’s account, legal issues, Charter concerns, possible applications, available witnesses, and the consequences of different paths. The defence strategy should respond to the actual case, not a generic checklist.
Some matters may be resolved without a trial. Others require litigation. The appropriate course depends on the evidence, the law, the client’s instructions, and what can realistically be achieved.
If the matter proceeds to trial, the Crown must prove the charge according to the required legal standard. A sentence is considered only following a guilty plea or finding of guilt. An appeal may be available in some cases where a legal, procedural, or sentencing issue justifies further review.
Legal Rights Overview
What Must Police Tell You When You Are Arrested?
When a person is arrested or detained, section 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides the right to be told promptly why and the right to retain and instruct counsel without delay. It also provides the right to be informed of that right.
In practical terms, police must communicate the reason for the arrest or detention and advise the person of the right to speak with a lawyer.
Knowing what police must tell you when arrested matters because the first hours of an investigation can involve important choices about statements, searches, testing, release, and contact with others.
You are not required to prove your innocence during an arrest. You are entitled to seek legal advice before deciding how to respond to police questioning.
For a fuller explanation of arrest rights and what may happen at the police station, visit our dedicated resource.
Defence Framework
What Is a Criminal Charge in Sherwood Park?
Criminal defence is not about repeating the same approach in every case.
It requires a close review of what happened, what the Crown can prove, and which legal issues may affect the result.
At Kurie Moore LLP, our Criminal Law lawyers focus on the work required to move the case forward with purpose.
We Review the Allegation & Immediate Risks
The first priority is to identify upcoming court dates, release conditions, deadlines, related proceedings, and any issue that could create an immediate legal concern.
We Examine the Disclosure
We review police reports, statements, recordings, photographs, digital records, expert materials, and other disclosed evidence.
The goal is not simply to summarize the Crown’s case. It is to test the evidence, identify gaps, and assess how each piece may be used or challenged.
We Explain the Available Paths
You should know what choices exist, what each choice may involve, and which factors deserve the most weight.
Advice should be direct enough to help you make a decision, not buried in legal terminology.
We Protect Your Rights
Legal issues may arise from the arrest, detention, search, statement-taking process, collection of evidence, or other police conduct.
Where a Charter or procedural issue may affect the case, it needs to be identified and assessed properly.
We Communicate With the Crown
Where appropriate, your lawyer may communicate with the prosecutor about disclosure, scheduling, resolution positions, contested issues, or other procedural matters.
We Prepare for Court
Court preparation may include legal research, witness review, cross-examination planning, applications, negotiations, trial strategy, and sentencing submissions where required.
We Keep You Informed
You should know who is handling your matter, what stage the case has reached, and what decision comes next.
Clear communication helps replace uncertainty with a practical plan.
Local Presence
A Sherwood Park Criminal Lawyer Focused on Criminal Law
Working with a local firm gives you access to legal support close to where you live, work, and manage the rest of your responsibilities. Kurie Moore LLP is based in Sherwood Park and represents clients throughout Edmonton, Strathcona County, Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, Leduc, and surrounding Alberta communities.
Our structure is intentional. Our Criminal Law lawyers focus their practices on criminal defence. They are not expected to move between criminal files, divorces, and estate planning matters. That focus allows each lawyer to spend their working day dealing with criminal allegations, police evidence, release conditions, court procedure, defence strategy, and litigation.
Clients also benefit from being part of a connected boutique litigation firm. When a criminal allegation creates a related Family Law issue, such as parenting restrictions, an Emergency Protection Order, or an urgent application, a lawyer from the relevant practice group can become involved. Each lawyer remains responsible for the issues within their own field. The client is not left trying to coordinate between unrelated firms.
What Clients Can Expect:
Knowledge Center
Clear Information for the Decisions Ahead
Legal information cannot replace advice about your own case, but it can help you identify the right questions and prepare for a useful conversation with a lawyer. Explore these Criminal Law resources based on the issue or stage most relevant to you.
What Police Must Tell You When Arrested
Learn about the information police must provide and the right to speak with legal counsel following arrest or detention.
What Is a Criminal Charge?
Learn what it means to be formally charged and why a charge is different from a conviction.
Criminal Charge Overview
Review the main stages that may follow an investigation, arrest, release, and first court appearance.
Drug Offences
Learn about defence representation for possession, trafficking, and related allegations.
Youth Criminal Defence
Read about the separate legal process that applies to young people accused of offences.
Bail Hearings
Learn what may happen when a person is held in custody or needs help addressing release conditions.
DUI Lawyer
Review legal services for impaired driving, refusal, and related driving allegations.
Assault Lawyer
Learn about defence services for assault, domestic assault, and related allegations.
Common Questions
Questions About Criminal Charges in Sherwood Park
What should I do after being charged with a crime in Sherwood Park?
Follow every release condition, record your court date, preserve relevant documents or messages, and speak with a Criminal Law lawyer before making decisions about statements, pleas, or the case.
Do not contact a complainant if a condition prohibits contact, even if that person contacts you first. Legal advice can help clarify what the documents require and what needs attention next.
Should I speak to police before calling a lawyer?
You should seek legal advice before answering questions about an alleged offence.
You may be required to provide certain identifying information in some situations, but a detailed statement about the allegation can become evidence. A lawyer can advise you based on the reason police are contacting you and the stage of the investigation.
What police must tell you when arrested?
Police must promptly tell you why you are being arrested or detained and inform you of your right to retain and instruct counsel without delay.
The application of these rights can depend on the circumstances. Ask to speak with a lawyer clearly and avoid discussing the allegation while waiting for legal advice.
What is a criminal charge in Sherwood Park?
A criminal charge is a formal accusation that a person committed an offence. It is not a conviction.
After a charge is laid, the matter proceeds through the criminal court process. The next stages may include release or bail, disclosure, court appearances, discussions with the Crown, applications, resolution, or trial.
Do I need a lawyer for a first criminal charge?
A first charge can still carry serious legal and personal consequences.
The absence of a prior record may be relevant to parts of the case, but it does not make the charge harmless or remove the need to assess the evidence. Advice from a Criminal Law lawyer can help you avoid relying on assumptions about how a first allegation will be treated.
Can a criminal charge affect my job?
A charge may affect employment in some circumstances, particularly where the work involves driving, security clearance, vulnerable people, professional regulation, travel, or duties connected to the allegation.
The effect is not the same in every case. A lawyer can help identify the criminal issues, while employment or regulatory advice may also be required in some situations.
How soon should I contact a criminal lawyer?
Contact a lawyer as early as reasonably possible, especially before giving a statement, attending a police interview, dealing with a bail hearing, entering a plea, or responding to a possible breach allegation.
Early contact gives the lawyer more time to identify deadlines, review release terms, obtain information, and advise you before important decisions are made.
Can Kurie Moore LLP help when criminal and family matters overlap?
Yes. Kurie Moore LLP has separate Criminal Law and Family Law practice groups.
For example, a domestic assault allegation may lead to a criminal charge, no-contact conditions, an Emergency Protection Order, parenting restrictions, or an urgent Family Law application. A Criminal Law lawyer and a Family Law lawyer may work on the connected issues while each remains focused on their own field.
What should I bring to my first conversation?
Bring any documents available to you, including:
- Release or bail documents
- Court notices
- Police paperwork
- Tickets or driving suspension documents
- Emergency Protection Order materials
- Relevant messages, emails, photographs, or recordings
- A timeline of important events
- A list of questions
Do not delay contacting the firm because documents are missing or disorganized. The first conversation can help identify what is needed.
Take Control of the Case
Your Case Deserves a Focused Criminal Law Strategy
A criminal investigation, arrest, or charge can leave you uncertain about what to say, what to do, and what comes next. You do not need to make those decisions alone.
Kurie Moore LLP is a boutique litigation firm with Criminal Law lawyers dedicated to criminal defence. We provide clear advice, discreet communication, and representation built around the evidence and circumstances of each case.
Speaking with a criminal lawyer in Sherwood Park can help you:
- Make sense of the charge and court documents
- Identify immediate risks or deadlines
- Review release and bail conditions
- Learn what evidence may exist
- Assess available legal options
- Prepare for court
- Move forward with a focused defence strategy
Your problem deserves direct attention from a lawyer who works in Criminal Law every day.
Sherwood Park Location
Kurie Moore LLP, 168 Kaska Road, Sherwood Park, AB T8A 4G7
Complete the contact form and a member of our team will contact you to learn more and connect you with a Criminal Law lawyer.
Multidisciplinary Resources
Legal Information for the Decisions Ahead
Clear information can help you identify the right questions, understand the legal issues involved, and prepare for a conversation with a lawyer. Explore resources from our Family Law, Criminal Law, and Wills, Estates & Probate practice groups.
Speak With a Criminal Lawyer Before Your Next Step
Police contact, release conditions, and court dates can create pressure to act quickly. Acting quickly is not the same as acting without advice. Kurie Moore LLP provides focused Criminal Law representation from its Sherwood Park office. Our lawyers can review what has happened, explain the legal issues, and help you decide what should happen next.