Pre-Sentencing Legal Opinion Letter
If someone is charged with an offence but has not yet been convicted, there are steps that he or she can take to avoid becoming inadmissible to Canada.
The Cohen Immigration Law Firm can assist you. Simply complete our contact form and one of our experts will reach out to schedule a free consultation.
The Benefit of a Pre-Sentencing Legal Opinion Letter
Depending on the circumstances, the effects of a conviction, and the resulting inadmissibility, can be severe. For example, someone whose employment entails a recurring need to enter Canada can see his or her livelihood threatened by a determination of inadmissibility to Canada.
Similarly, an individual with family in Canada can be prevented from seeing these family members as a consequence of being found inadmissible. In addition to appealing to the judge’s compassion by outlining the effects of a conviction, a lawyer can also suggest alternate infractions that would not render the individual inadmissible should he or she be convicted. This is not always possible for more serious charges, but offences such as impaired driving or reckless driving can sometimes be plead down in such a way that the conviction does not result in inadmissibility.
For example, the charges above can be reduced to a traffic violation that does not render one inadmissible, or even be dropped altogether in certain cases. A legal opinion letter can help by laying out options allowing this to take place and explaining any mitigating circumstances that could warrant a less severe punishment.
When appropriate, the judge might attribute significant weight to the letter and take it into consideration when imposing the sentence. In this manner, many individuals who had the foresight to procure a legal opinion letter from an experienced Canadian immigration attorney have been convicted of a lesser offence and, consequently, have avoided being found inadmissible.
About Cohen Immigration Law
Cohen Immigration Law is one of Canada's leading immigration law firms. We have over 45 years of experience and feature a team of over 60 Canadian immigration attorneys, paralegals, and other dedicated professionals.
Cohen Immigration Law uses its expertise to help clients overcome inadmissibility issues. Our team of inadmissibility lawyers and professionals will work to understand your situation and then submit the strongest possible application to Canadian immigration authorities.
CanadaVisa.com was founded in 1994 as the online presence of Cohen Immigration Law. Since then, CanadaVisa has grown into one of the world's most trusted resources on immigration to Canada. Please connect with us so we can support your inadmissibility needs.