Navigating an Early Resolution Meeting: What You Need to Know

Clients often seek guidance on what to say at an early resolution meeting. This can be a challenging question, especially for those considering self-representation. It’s crucial to understand that this process requires experience, legal training, and a deep understanding of the nuances involved. Here are key considerations:

Representing Yourself?

If you’re contemplating representing yourself at an early resolution meeting, caution is warranted. Lack of experience can inadvertently lead to actions that may strengthen the case against you. It’s essential to recognize the potential pitfalls of self-representation.

Expertise Matters

Legal professionals, licensed and experienced, have the necessary skills to navigate early resolution meetings effectively. They understand what to say and, perhaps more importantly, what not to say. This expertise is invaluable in ensuring that your case is not inadvertently weakened during these proceedings.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

One common issue is inadvertently waiving jurisdiction. If the Crown loses jurisdiction over the offense, it could be a significant advantage for your case. However, without proper knowledge, you might unknowingly help the Crown overcome this hurdle.

The Importance of Case Review

Before determining what to say at an early resolution meeting, a comprehensive review of your case is essential. This includes a thorough examination of the disclosure to understand the case against you fully. Without this understanding, it’s challenging to navigate the complexities effectively.

Seeking Professional Guidance

While the question about what to say at an early resolution meeting is appreciated, the best course of action is often to consult with a legal professional. Their experience and track record of success in similar situations make them well-equipped to provide guidance tailored to your specific case.

In summary, the complexities of legal proceedings necessitate professional assistance. If you find yourself facing an early resolution meeting, consider seeking the expertise of a legal professional to ensure your rights are protected and the best possible outcome is pursued. Contact OTD Legal for a free consultation on your case. 

Video Transcription:

Clients often call with this particular question. That question is what to say at an early resolution meeting. A very difficult question for us to answer for two reasons. One, we are licensed, we are trained, and we are experienced in dealing with that particular meeting. Two, I can only assume when a question like that is asked that a client is considering representing themselves.

When number two happens when a client is trying to represent themselves and they’re asking a question on that significant what to say at an early resolution meeting, I get concerned. I get concerned because I know from years of experience, there are things to say and there are things not to say, and the last thing you need to be doing at that particular meeting is helping the crown prove the case against you.

When you are unrepresented or when you are not experienced at doing this type of thing, a common problem is you help prove the case against you. I will get into this particular issue on another video, but one of the things that could happen is you simply have a torn to the jurisdiction. So what can happen is the crown may lose the jurisdiction over you, over the offense. And that might be a big win for you. But if you show up at that particular early resolution meeting and you get on the record, you might have cured a phenomenally difficult problem for the crown to get over. You might have proven the case against yourself by not knowing what exactly you should be doing.

So although I do appreciate the question, I do in most cases point clients to the fact that you need to have someone review what is going on here. We need to take a look at that disclosure. We need to know what the case is against you. And when we get into those types of questions, the right answer is you’re gonna need someone who has experience, who is proven to be successful in dealing with answering that specific question.