Criminal DUI Lawyer in Toronto
Don’t accept the consequences of a DUI! Better call Jonathan Lapid – top Toronto DUI and impaired driving lawyer with 25+ years of experience in all matters related to drinking and driving charges.
- Free initial case assessment
- Reasonable fees with no hidden costs
- High success rate
- Hundreds of successfully defended clients
- Honest and client-oriented approach
Global News
Why Do You Need a Toronto DUI Defense Lawyer?
Getting a DUI is not an everyday thing, like having a glass of beer in a bar on Friday. It is a serious event that rarely happens. Most likely, in the case of DUI, you would not know what to say to police officers or how to act.
The law surrounding DUI is quite complex, and there are many different factors at play. Even if you are drunk or intoxicated, you should not plead guilty publicly in your case. If you do so, your options are severely limited.
The only way to avoid that is to hire an experienced DUI lawyer in Toronto to defend your interests. An experienced impaired driving attorney like Jonathan Lapid knows all the pitfalls that may arise in the case and would help to avoid mistakes that would cost you dearly.
- Keep Your Driver’s LicenceLicence suspension of at least 1 year on a first conviction.
- Avoid a Criminal RecordA DUI can remain on your criminal record indefinitely.
- Stay Out of Jail30 days on a 2nd offence. 120 days on a 3rd.
- Avoid Insurance HikesA DUI stays on your driving record for at least 3 years.
Impaired Driving Charges
If you operate an automobile, boat, or motorcycle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the violation is known as a DUI/DWI. These are serious charges that the Criminal Code of Canada regulates.
Drinking and DrivingAny drinking-and-driving charge under the Criminal Code — first, second or third.Learn more
Breath Sample FailureFailing or refusing to provide a sample carries the same penalties as Over 80.Learn more
Drugged DrivingDUI weed and drug-impaired charges rely on evaluations that can be challenged.Learn more
Care ControlCharged while parked or not driving at all. Risk of motion is the battleground.Learn more
DUI Lawyer in Toronto Who’s Dedicated to Your Best Outcome
Being a Toronto DUI lawyer was my destiny. Don’t get me wrong, I always knew I wanted to practice law from a very young age and sought that dream with doggedness and determination. But I never knew what kind of law I wanted to practice – until this path found me.
I’m a top-five impaired driving lawyer across the entire industry, having won hundreds of DUI and drinking and driving cases. I’ve also had many of my cases cited as precedent in other cases, have been interviewed by Maclean’s for its March 24th, 2016 issue, and have appeared on Global News for an expert legal opinion on the impaired-driving case of former Maple Leaf, Rob Ramage.
The reason for my resounding success as a DUI defence lawyer is that I’m thorough and prepared. Each case is as crucial as the last and every client is my most important client.
- Free initial case assessmentKnow exactly where you stand before committing to anything.
- Reasonable fees with no hidden costsLegal defence that respects your situation from day one.
- High success rateOne of the highest acquittal and charge-reduction rates in the GTA.
- Hundreds of successfully defended clientsClients who would otherwise have faced extremely harsh sentences.
- Honest and client-oriented approachJonathan himself handles every case — never a junior associate.
What happens after a DUI arrest in Toronto
Most drivers are released with a court date, a 90-day licence suspension and a 7-day vehicle impoundment before any trial. Here is how the case moves from the roadside to a result.
- 01Step oneRoadside stop and testing
Police may demand a roadside breath sample, a breath test at the station, or a drug evaluation. What happened here often decides the case.
- 02Step twoRelease, suspension and impound
Most drivers are released with a court date, a 90-day licence suspension and a 7-day vehicle impoundment before any trial.
- 03Step threeDisclosure and first appearance
We obtain the Crown’s evidence, including video, officer notes and breath-test records, and look for Charter and technical issues.
- 04Step fourResolution or trial
Charges may be withdrawn, reduced or taken to trial. You get a clear recommendation and the final decision is always yours.
Charged isn’t convicted. The record shows it.
- Over 80 charge dismissedOver 80 · Toronto
Breathalyzer maintenance records raised reliability concerns. The court excluded the evidence.
Dismissed - Unlawful roadside breath demandImpaired driving · Toronto
The roadside breath demand was found unlawful and the breath evidence was excluded.
Dismissed - Denied the right to counselImpaired driving · Toronto
Police failed to provide a reasonable opportunity to contact counsel before breath testing.
Stayed - Misleading police testimonyImpaired driving · Toronto
The accuracy of the police evidence was questioned and the case was dismissed.
Dismissed - Care and control, no realistic riskCare & control · Toronto
The court found no realistic risk of danger. No conviction for impaired driving.
Dismissed
I have been practicing criminal law for over 25 years and I pride myself on my successful cases. My goal for any client is to ensure that they have a positive outcome.
Posted on Google · Verified by Trustindex Read all reviews“The timings on my case were very tight but Jonathan managed to get my license back much faster than expected.”
Fantyga L. · Posted on Google“A professional who really helps to save both reputation and career. He is always on the phone, without clericalism.”
Maxwell H. · Posted on Google
Maclean’s · 2016Toronto DUI Defence Lawyer Jonathan Lapid
A few years ago, a Brampton police officer called Jonathan to defend him on a DUI charge. Asked how he found him, the officer said that after asking his police friends who they had lost to in court, Jonathan’s name kept popping up again and again.
He has represented an NHL player, a Canadian Olympic athlete, police officers, lawyers, doctors, prominent senior executives, pilots and flight attendants, limousine drivers, factory workers, and many other hard-working Canadians.
If nothing else, this tells you that he’s built a track record others take notice of, and there’s a reason why even the highest-profile individuals entrust him with their cases. He has earned his status as the best criminal DUI lawyer in Toronto. Contact him without hesitation.
- 25+Years of experience
- 2016Interviewed by Maclean’s
- GlobalNews — expert legal opinion
Toronto DUI Penalties Explained
Being charged with DUI is a serious offence, and if it’s your second or third time, the charges will be even stricter than the first one. Below are just some of the consequences, including minimum court-ordered penalties. Every case is unique — this is for educational purposes only.
- Immediate roadside 90-day suspension
- 7-day vehicle impoundment
- 8-hour education course
- $550+ penalty
- Immediate roadside 90-day suspension
- 7-day vehicle impoundment
- 16-hour education course
- $550+ penalty
- Immediate roadside 90-day suspension
- 7-day vehicle impoundment
- 8-hour education course
- $550+ penalty
- Ignition interlock condition for 6 months
In addition to the penalties listed above, you’ll also have to pay a licence reinstatement fee every time your licence is suspended. In any matter involving intoxication and drunk driving, seek and contact a law firm immediately. No matter what, you will want to do everything you can to weasel out of charges for DUI.
The first step you can take is to get an experienced drinking and driving lawyer to guide you through your legal case during the trial. Remember that with all of the consequences associated with a DUI, pleading guilty publicly is the absolute worst decision you could make. The verdict of the trial could be devastating, as you may face criminal charges.
DUI Law and Impaired Driving FAQs
Do you have questions regarding a DUI defence? Have no idea whether you should hire an impaired driving lawyer?
647-797-5256If you’re arrested in Toronto for a DUI, try to remain calm and comply with lawful directions. Request to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible — you have the right to legal counsel. Record and preserve details of the incident as soon as you can; some evidence can help identify breaches in the process that can be used to win your case. Follow your release conditions and attend all court dates.
It depends on numerous details. However, for the majority of cases in Ontario, a DUI stays on your driving record for at least 3 years, influencing licence points and insurance. A DUI can remain on your criminal record indefinitely unless you successfully apply for a record suspension (formerly called a pardon).
A DUI conviction does not appear on your passport, so it doesn’t affect your passport status. However, it may affect international travel, especially to countries such as the United States, which restrict entry for individuals with criminal records.
Your chances of getting the charges dropped are high if you haven’t pleaded guilty in public. Jonathan Lapid uses various tactics depending on the circumstances:
- Negotiating with Crown Attorneys for a lesser charge (e.g., careless driving under provincial law)
- Challenging evidence and questioning breath test accuracy or police procedure
- Identifying technical defects in how the stop or arrest happened
Guides for Ontario drivers
Serving Toronto and the GTA
We defend clients across the city and the surrounding regions. The Ontario Court of Justice hears most GTA DUI charges at the courthouse serving the area where police laid the charge — Toronto, Peel, York, Halton or Durham — and each has its own scheduling habits and local practices.
Give Us a Call To Get The Defence You Deserve
Toronto, ON M2N 6K1Head Office · 647-797-5256Toronto Office · 647-953-9774jonathan@jonathanlapid.comGet directions