What are my rights?

You have legal rights. If you’re arrested or detained by police, the police must:

• tell you the charge you’re being arrested or detained for,
• tell you that you have the right to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible, and
• give you the chance to speak to a lawyer on the phone. You may speak to any lawyer of your choice who’ll accept your call (but may charge a fee). A free lawyer is also available on the Brydges Line phone service, 24 hours a day. The police should let you call the Brydges Line while you’re in custody if you don’t have or can’t reach a lawyer of your choice.

You also have the right:

• to remain silent,
• to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in court,
• to get a fair trial, and
• to have your trial within a reasonable time.

Remember: It’s up to the prosecutor to prove your guilt.