Criminal cases in Ontario run through two courts. Every charge under the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act starts in the Ontario Court of Justice, and about 95% are completed there. The Superior Court of Justice can try any indictable offence but generally hears only the most serious, such as murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, sexual assault, firearm offences, robberies and drug trafficking.
The Ontario Court of Justice publishes daily lists of adult criminal cases for the current and next day. Youth cases are not on them. Each city page below names the courthouses in its area from the Province's register, with their addresses.
Pick a city to see the lawyers who practise there, with the kinds of charge each firm takes, its Google rating and its phone number. Towns too small for a page of their own are folded into the page of the nearest city.
Featured criminal lawyers in Ontario
All cities
- Ajax 3
- Aurora 6
- Barrie 17
- Belleville 12
- Brampton 101
- Brantford 7
- Brockville 5
- Cambridge 3
- Cobourg 7
- Collingwood 5
- Concord 12
- Cornwall 7
- East York 3
- Etobicoke 29
- Greater Sudbury 9
- Guelph 10
- Hamilton 31
- Huntsville 3
- Kingston 11
- Kitchener 26
- Lindsay 3
- London 33
- Markham 22
- Milton 12
- Mississauga 130
- Newmarket 15
- Niagara Falls 7
- North Bay 6
- North York 83
- Oakville 14
- Orangeville 4
- Orillia 3
- Oshawa 18
- Ottawa 66
- Owen Sound 9
- Peterborough 5
- Richmond Hill 9
- Sarnia 3
- Scarborough 42
- St. Catharines 14
- Stratford 5
- Thornhill 10
- Thunder Bay 7
- Timmins 6
- Toronto 272
- Vaughan 13
- Waterloo 4
- Whitby 5
- Windsor 23
- Woodbridge 12
- York 6
Smaller towns
These towns have fewer than 3 listed criminal lawyers and are too far from a larger city to share its page.
- Almonte 1
- Burlington 2
- Carleton Place 2
- Chatham 2
- Chesley 1
- Cochrane 1
- Deep River 1
- Dryden 1
- Fort Frances 2
- Goderich 2
- Grand Bend 1
- Haileybury 1
- Haliburton 1
- Hanover 1
- Hawkesbury 1
- Kenora 1
- Kincardine 1
- Kirkland Lake 1
- L'Orignal 1
- Parry Sound 2
- Perth 1
- Port Rowan 1
- Sault Ste. Marie 2
- Smiths Falls 1
- St Thomas 2
- Walkerton 1
- Welland 2
- Woodstock 2
How to choose a criminal lawyer in Ontario
Start with the right to a lawyer
Anyone arrested or detained in Canada has the right to be told the reasons promptly, and to retain and instruct a lawyer without delay. The Charter also gives a person charged the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and not to be denied reasonable bail without just cause. This guide covers what to check when choosing a criminal defence lawyer in Ontario. It is general information, not legal advice.
If you need help today
Duty counsel is a lawyer at the courthouse for that day. For people who qualify and have no lawyer, duty counsel can advise on rights, ask to delay a court date, act at a bail hearing and speak at sentencing.
Legal Aid Ontario may pay for a lawyer if a person qualifies and faces a charge that could mean jail on conviction, or is 12 to 17 and charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. A legal aid certificate pays a roster lawyer for the length of the case. Applications are online or by phone at 1-800-668-8258. Listings show whether a firm says it accepts legal aid.
Match the lawyer to the charge and the court
Every Criminal Code charge in Ontario starts in the Ontario Court of Justice, and about 95% are completed there. The Superior Court of Justice generally tries only the most serious offences, such as murder, sexual assault, robbery, firearm offences and drug trafficking, by a judge alone or with a jury.
Each listing has a grid of the kinds of work the firm's own website names: impaired driving, assault, domestic charges, sexual offences, drugs, theft and fraud, weapons, youth charges, bail hearings and appeals. "Yes" means the firm's site says so. "Not enough info" means it did not say either way, which is a reason to ask, not a mark against the firm. City pages also name the courthouses in each area with their addresses.
Read lawyer marketing with care
The Law Society of Ontario requires a lawyer's marketing to be true, accurate and verifiable. Its rules warn against suggesting one lawyer is better than others and against raising expectations. Only a lawyer the Law Society has certified may advertise as a specialist. A Certified Specialist has met its standards of experience and knowledge, including at least seven years of practice, and may use the letters C.S.
What to ask on the first call
Ask whether the lawyer takes this kind of charge and appears at the courthouse where it is scheduled. Ask who will appear in court on each date, whether the firm accepts a legal aid certificate, how fees are set and what they cover, and whether service in French is available if you need it. Be wary of any promise about how a case will end.
Check any lawyer's licence in the Law Society of Ontario's Lawyer and Paralegal Directory, and read the charge guides before the first call.
Frequently asked questions
What if I cannot afford a criminal lawyer in Ontario?
Legal Aid Ontario may pay for a lawyer if you qualify and face a charge that could mean jail on conviction, or if you are 12 to 17 and charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Apply online or by phone at 1-800-668-8258. Duty counsel at the courthouse can also help people who qualify and have no lawyer.
What does duty counsel do?
Duty counsel is a lawyer at the courthouse for that day. For people who qualify and have no lawyer, duty counsel can advise on rights, ask to delay a court date, act at a bail hearing, help with a guilty plea, speak at sentencing and meet the Crown.
What does Certified Specialist (Criminal Law) mean?
It is a Law Society of Ontario certification. A Certified Specialist has met the Law Society's standards of experience and knowledge in criminal law, including at least seven years of practice, and keeps up yearly professional development. This directory shows the title only when the Law Society's directory lists the lawyer.
Which court hears a criminal charge in Ontario?
Every charge under the Criminal Code starts in the Ontario Court of Justice, which completes about 95% of them. The Superior Court of Justice generally tries only the most serious offences. Each city page names the courthouses in its area.
How many criminal lawyers are listed in Ontario?
1206 at the last update on 2026-10-28, across 51 cities. Cities with fewer than 3 listed businesses are folded into the nearest city page.
Which Ontario city has the most criminal lawyers?
Toronto, with 272 listed. Mississauga is next with 130.
Can I be listed here?
If you run a criminal lawyer business in Ontario and are not listed, use the claim form and we will check the details and add you. Basic listings are free.