Cambridge Criminal Lawyers Who Help You Move Past a Record
A criminal case does not always end when the court date does. Years later, an old conviction or even a withdrawn charge can still appear on a police check and cost you a job, a volunteer position or a trip. For many people in Cambridge’s manufacturing, logistics and health care workforce, a clean check is a condition of employment.
Provident Law LLP defends new charges laid by Waterloo Regional Police in Cambridge, heard at the Kitchener courthouse. We also explain how to clear what remains afterwards, from fingerprint destruction to record suspensions.
- 24/7 arrest and bail line: (647) 254-9617
- Free, confidential case review with a partner, not an assistant
- Courts we appear in: Brampton (Peel) and courts across the GTA
- Legal Aid Ontario certificates accepted
Criminal Case Evaluation
Complete the form below and one of our legal professionals will contact you shortly.
What Stays on Your Record, and for How Long
Outcome | Conviction? | What happens to the record |
|---|---|---|
Withdrawn, stayed or acquitted | No | Fingerprints and photos can usually be destroyed on request |
Absolute discharge | No | Removed from the national database after 1 year |
Conditional discharge | No | Removed after 3 years |
Summary conviction | Yes | Record suspension possible 5 years after the sentence is complete |
Indictable conviction | Yes | Record suspension possible 10 years after the sentence is complete |
Not listed?
Call us. A partner will tell you honestly whether we can help at your court location.
Record Suspensions
A record suspension, formerly called a pardon, is granted by the Parole Board of Canada. It sets your conviction record apart from other records, so it generally does not show up on a standard criminal record check. You must wait 5 years after completing your sentence for a summary offence, or 10 years for an indictable offence, including paying all fines and finishing probation. Some offences are not eligible. We help you gather the court records, police checks and supporting documents needed for a complete application.
Destroying Fingerprints After a Withdrawal
If your charge was withdrawn, stayed or ended in an acquittal, the police service that took your fingerprints and photographs still holds them. You can usually ask that service to destroy them, along with related records, once the case is over. Each police service has its own process and timing. Doing this matters, because without it the fact of your arrest may remain on file even though you were never convicted.
Ontario Police Record Checks
Ontario’s Police Record Checks Reform Act limits what police can disclose on most record checks. Criminal record checks and judicial matters checks generally do not include charges that were withdrawn or dismissed. Vulnerable sector checks are different and can, in exceptional cases, include non-conviction information. If you work with children or vulnerable adults, we explain how your outcome is likely to appear and what you can do about it.
Wherever you were charged, start with one call
A partner will tell you honestly how we can help with your court location.
Criminal Case Evaluation
Complete the form below and one of our legal professionals will contact you shortly.
Assault and domestic assault
Impaired driving on Highway 401 and Hespeler Road
Drug offences and bail hearings
Theft and fraud, including allegations at work
The best way to keep your record clean is a strong defence now. Nearby pages: Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Hamilton.
What we offer
Why it matters for your record
Defence with the long term in mind
We aim for outcomes that leave little or nothing on your record
Help clearing old records
We explain record suspensions and fingerprint destruction step by step
Waterloo Region court experience
We attend the Kitchener courthouse for trials and key hearings
Employment-focused advice
We consider what your employer’s police check will show
The lawyers who will handle your case
Charnpreet Saini
Lawyer & Partner
As a founding partner at Provident Law LLP, Preet focuses on Criminal Defence law.
Armandeep Gill
Lawyer & Partner
As a founding partner at Provident Law LLP, Arman practices in the Criminal Defence Law.
Cambridge Criminal Lawyer FAQs
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No. A record suspension keeps your record separate in Canadian databases, but it does not erase it, and other countries are not bound by it. The United States, for example, may already have information about your conviction and can still deny entry. A record suspension can also be revoked if you are later convicted of a new offence, so staying out of trouble afterwards is essential.
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Police databases can keep information about charges even when they did not lead to a conviction, unless you ask for it to be removed. Ontario law limits what appears on most record checks, but vulnerable sector checks can be broader. Requesting destruction of your fingerprints and related records from the police service that charged you is usually the solution. We can help you with that request.
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Possibly, through a faster process. Since 2019, people convicted only of simple possession of cannabis can apply for a record suspension without the usual waiting period or fee. You need to show the conviction was for simple possession only. We can confirm whether your record qualifies and help you prepare the application.
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Yes. The Parole Board of Canada publishes the application forms and guide, and many people apply on their own. The process requires court records, police checks and a fingerprint-based criminal record from the RCMP, and missing documents can delay your application by months. If your record is complex or includes several convictions, legal help can save time and avoid a refusal.
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Usually not. Records of absolute and conditional discharges are removed from the national police database automatically after one and three years respectively. You may still want to ask the police service that charged you to destroy your fingerprints and photographs, because local records can remain. We can help you confirm that everything has been removed.
Speak With a Cambridge Criminal Defence Lawyer
Call (647) 254-9617, 24/7, or book a free case review. Learn about our criminal defence services.