Ticket Defence Program

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What should I do if I tore up the ticket?

If you don't have the ticket we can still help you. The most important thing is to leave us your full name and if possible the date the ticket was issued. Of course it will also be helpful if you can give us the name of the arresting officer, the exact wording of the charge and/or an account of what happened.

What are the most likely outcomes?

If the officer does not show up at court, the charge will be dropped. If he or she does attend then in the worst case you will be found guilty and have to pay a fine. In between these extremes we have an opportunity to argue against these unjust laws.

If you lose, will you pay the ticket for me?

No.

What happens if I ignore the ticket?

If you ignore the ticket then you will be found guilty (unless there is a technical mistake made) and be expected to pay the fine.

Do I have to appear in court?

No. We will be acting as your agent, but it is helpful if you can attend.

What is the difference between an agent and a lawyer?

If you've been accused under the Provincial Offences Act - including most vehicular, parking and other minor offences - then you can be represented by an agent. If on the other hand you've been accused of a criminal offence such as theft or drug possession then only a lawyer can represent you.

Just like a lawyer, an agent can request disclosure of evidence, schedule court dates, file motions and make legal arguments, both technical ones according to a particular law or by referring to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Unlike lawyers and other agents, TDP agents are all volunteers, and therefore unpaid. Some are law students; others have defended themselves in court on criminal matters as activists, but all have trained to defend tickets in provincial court.

What kinds of tickets will you defend?

We will defend any ticket under the Safe Streets Act (SSA) and tickets under the NCC Traffic and Property Regulations relating to illegal camping.

We will not defend any ticket involving the operation of a vehicle other than a bicycle.

For other tickets we generally need more information about specific circumstances surrounding the ticket or reliable contact information in order to fight the ticket properly. These tickets include offences:

Where can I drop off my ticket?

There are several places in Ottawa where you can drop off a ticket and sign an authorization form:

Centre 454

216 Murray St.
Mon-Fri: 8-11:30am
Mon,Tue,Thu,Fri: 12:30-3:30pm

Centre 507

507 Bank St.
Mon-Fri: 12-3:30pm
Mon,Wed,Thu: 5:30-9pm
Sun: 1-4pm

Operation Go Home

(for people under 25)
176 Rideau St.
Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm

What else do I need to do?

When you drop off your ticket, don't forget to:

  1. Make sure the back of the ticket is signed. The rest of the form can be left blank.
  2. Sign and authorization form allowing us to act as your agent in court. Without this authorization we cannot represent the person who was ticketed.
  3. If you would like to be kept informed of the status of your case, be sure to provide contact information on the back of the authorization form. This can be specific hours at a drop-in centre or another location if you don't have access to phone or email. If there is a way to contact you and you would like to attend at court this should also be indicated on the back of the authorization form. You are encouraged to attend if possible!

What was the outcome of my ticket?

To follow up on your ticket or if you have other questions, you can ask at one of the drop off locations to have us contact you, or email ticketdefence at gmail.com.  All we need to know is your name and roughly when the ticket was issued.

How can I get involved?

Come to a general meeting!. Our general meeting times are usually posted here. If not you can reach us at ticketdefence at gmail.com.