Can I travel to the United States with a Conditional Discharge?
A Conditional Discharge is like a Conviction in the United States Even though a discharge is not a conviction, it is still evidence of guilt, and may still render a person inadmissible to the United States. There are two types of discharges: absolute discharge conditional discharge Regardless of the type, the Criminal Code of Canada confirms that there has been a finding or admission of guilt. The United States treats a discharge the same as a conviction or any admission of guilt (ie. you admit to having committed offence even if not convicted). Criminal Code of Canada Sec 730 Conditional[...]
Automatic Purging of a Conditional Discharge
A Conditional Discharge is not a conviction. You cannot apply to have it sealed or suspended with a Canadian Pardon or Record Suspension. The good news is that a discharge automatically gets purged after a period of time. You do not have to spend hundreds of dollars to have it sealed or suspended. I have had people call me immediately after receiving a discharge to apply to have it erased so that it does not affect employment. The bad news is, a discharge will appear on your criminal record for a period of time before it gets purged. Though it[...]
Is an Absolute Discharge Pardonable?
I received a great email question regarding an absolute discharge. I thought I'd share it with you. I modified the question so that it it does not identify the person the inquiry was made for. Here is the question: A client of ours has inquired about applying for a Nexus Card. She was charged with possession of a small quantity of marijuana and was given an absolute discharge in provincial court in the 1970s. She obtained a pardon for this matter from the federal government in the early 1980s. Question: Will the U.S. be able to access this information in[...]
Record Suspension (Pardon): Good Conduct Criteria
Criminal Records Act: What is Good Conduct Criteria? The best way to understand what Good Conduct Criteria is start from the very beginning...with the Criminal Record Act. According to the Criminal Record Act, if you meet the good conduct criteria and are granted a Record Suspension, you can expect the following benefits: Effect of a Record Suspension: 2.3 A record suspension (a) is evidence of the fact that (i) the Board, after making inquiries, was satisfied that the applicant was of good conduct, and (ii) the conviction in respect of which the record suspension is ordered should no longer reflect adversely on[...]
Child Travel Authorization Form Canada
Child Travel Authorization Form Canada Permission to Travel with Children Your children and babies need their own passports. Extra documents may be required such as birth certificate which shows who the child's legal parents are. If one parent is deceased; you may need to bring a death certificate. If you are travelling without the other parent, you may need a legal document showing you have sole custody of your child, a Court Order that grants you permission to travel with the child or a Parental Consent Letter (see Sample Travel Authorization below). Click here for SAMPLE Travel Authorization for Children[...]
Uncontested Divorces in Alberta
How to Qualify for an Uncontested Divorce in Alberta You can file for an uncontested divorce in Alberta if: you or your spouse have resided in Alberta for the past 12 or more months; you and your spouse agree to all matters concerning property, assets and debts; if spousal support is an issue, you and your spouse are in agreement with spousal support; and if there are dependent children, you and your spouse are in agreement with custody, access and child support. Is your spouse unwilling to accept personal service? This does not make the divorce 'contested'. It just means[...]
