Frequently Asked Questions About the Law, Book 4: Criminal Law

Leslie H. Morley is a practising lawyer with a special interest in
immigration and family law.

Les Vandor, an Ottawa lawyer and university lecturer, is a regular guest
on CBC’s Ontario Today, a call-in radio program. This introduction to
the Canadian criminal law is the fourth in a series of law-related books
by the same author (earlier titles dealt with the legal system, family
law, and wills).

Vandor takes us on a step-by-step journey through the Canadian Criminal
Code (Canada’s principal criminal law statute), reviewing both its
main provisions and some of the more obscure ones (having to do, for
example, with the theft of oysters, or pretending to be a witch). He
stops from time to time to pose and answer questions, such as “I have
a criminal record but want to get rid of it. Can I?” and “Do I have
to say anything to the police when they interview me?” Sprinkled
throughout the book are legal definitions, excerpts from case law,
samples of court forms, and anecdotes from the author’s own practice.
He includes thoughts on the aftermath of the 9/11, the collapse of
Enron, and the legal-aid strike of 2002.

For those seeking basic information on Canadian criminal law, this book
is a good place to start.