• False Creek at night

Our Successes

Drug Charges

R. vs. M.G. – Surrey Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine, Heroin, etc.)
Issue: Whether police lawfully searched our client and the interior of his car.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to steer our client through the investigation, which concluded with no charge being recommended.

R. vs. C.O. – North Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine).
Issue: Whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the prosecution.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel that, given our client’s circumstances and the circumstances of the offence, that it was not in the public interest to proceed with the charge. Stay of proceedings. No criminal record.

R. vs. J.K. – Surrey Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the purpose of trafficking (fentanyl, crystal meth and MDMA) in a prison.
Issue: Whether the drugs were possessed by our client for the purpose of trafficking or for personal use.
Result: After a 3 day trial, Mr. Johnson was able to persuade the Crown that our client was guilty of only the lesser offence of simple possession. Rather than being sentenced to a two year mandatory minimum jail sentence, the trial judge released our client from custody.

R. vs. E.N. – Provincial Court of Quebec

Charge: Conspiracy to Traffic, Trafficking, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (heroin and cocaine).
Issue: Whether our client intended to agree to bring several grams of heroin and cocaine into a federal penitentiary.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to provide Crown counsel with information about the circumstances of the offence and of our client – essentially that she was manipulated by the co-accused. Mr. Mines persuaded Crown to allow our client to plead guilty to the lesser offence of simple possession and to make a joint submission for a 6 month conditional sentence order. Rather than a minimum 2 year mandatory sentence on the conspiracy charge,  our client received no jail time whatsoever.

R. vs. B.C. – North Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine and MDMA).
Issue: Whether police breached our client’s Charter right to counsel when they obtained an incriminating statement from him upon his arrest.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown counsel that police breached our client’s Charter rights. Crown, therefore, did not lead the statement and agreed to accept guilty pleas to simple possession. After hearing Mr. Mines’ submissions, the trial judge granted our client an absolute discharge. No criminal record.

R. vs. A.S. – Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine and heroin).
Issue: Whether the Crown had proved that our client had knowledge of the drugs that were in his possession at the time he was detained by police.
Result: After considering Mr. Mines’ submissions at the conclusion of this two day trial, the trial judge found our client not guilty. He was acquitted of all charges. No jail. No criminal record.

R. vs. C.H. – North Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine).
Issue: Whether the Crown could prove that our client intended to traffick the cocaine in his possession.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown Counsel to proceed on the lesser charge of simple possession. After hearing Mr. Mines’ submissions, the court granted our client an absolute discharge. No criminal record.

R. vs. S.K. – Surrey provincial Court

Charge: Careless Use, Unsafe Storage of a Firearm; Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.
Issue: Whether, given the circumstances, our client had a lawful excuse for possessing the firearm, and, further, whether the search was lawful and whether our client had knowledge and control of the drugs that were seized.
Result: After considering information provided by Mr. Mines, Crown Counsel decided not to approve any criminal charge, instead proceeding only with a Firearms Prohibition application. After hearing Mr. Mines’ submission, the Court imposed a 5 year firearms prohibition. No criminal record.

R. vs. S.B. – North Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession of Cocaine.
Issue: Whether it was in the public interest to proceed with a criminal prosecution.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown Counsel to allow our client into the Alternative Measures Program. Upon completion, Crown withdrew the charge. No criminal record.

R. vs. A.W. – Castlegar Provincial Court

Charge: Possession of Controlled Substance (x5).
Issue: Whether it was in the public interest to prosecute our client who was found in possession of marijuana, MDA, LSD, MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms.
Result: Mr. Johnson was able to persuade Crown to allow our client into the Alternative Measures Program and to stay all charges upon our client successfully completing the program.

R. vs E.S. – Kelowna Provincial Court

Charge: Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (MDMA).
Issue: Whether police had breached our client’s Charter rights when they arrested and searched him based solely on a complaint from a “concerned citizen”.
Result: Mr. Mines provided Crown Counsel with an outline of his legal arguments and, on the eve of the trial, Crown Counsel entered a Stay of Proceedings. No jail. No criminal record.

R. vs. D.D. – North Vancouver Provincial Court

Charge: Possession of Cocaine.
Issue: Whether it was in the public interest to proceed with the criminal prosecution.
Result: Mr. Mines was able to persuade Crown into allowing our client into the Alternative Measures Program. Upon completion, the Court dismissed the charge against our client. No criminal record.