Search assault, homicide, robbery, weapons offences, self-defence, and more — backed by real case law.
Violent crime charges carry the most severe penalties in Canadian law, including life imprisonment — Casey searches millions of court decisions so lawyers and accused individuals can find the case law that defines the elements, defences, and sentencing for these offences.
Violent crime charges carry the most severe penalties in Canadian law, including life imprisonment — Casey searches millions of court decisions so lawyers and accused individuals can find the case law that defines the elements, defences, and sentencing for these offences.
Real Scenarios
1
Assault Charges & Levels of Severity
Canadian law distinguishes between simple assault, assault causing bodily harm, and aggravated assault. The classification affects both the available defences and the sentencing range, and the line between levels is not always clear.
Prompt:
“What is the difference between assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault?”
Casey returns cases where courts distinguished between levels of assault, defined what constitutes bodily harm versus wounds or disfigurement, and showed the sentencing implications of each classification.
2
Homicide & Murder Classifications
Murder charges involve complex legal distinctions between first degree, second degree, and manslaughter. Understanding the elements of each and how courts have drawn these lines is essential for effective representation.
Prompt:
“What makes a murder charge first degree versus second degree in Canada?”
Casey surfaces decisions analyzing planning and deliberation, the constructive first degree provisions, and how courts assessed the mental element required — giving lawyers clarity on the Crown's burden for each classification.
3
Self-Defence & Justification
The self-defence provisions were reformed in 2013, and courts are still developing the case law under the new framework. Understanding the legal test, proportionality, and the role of the accused's perceptions is critical.
Prompt:
“What factors do courts consider when evaluating a claim of self-defence?”
Casey retrieves cases applying the reformed self-defence provisions, analyzing the reasonableness of the accused's belief, proportionality of the response, and the role of prior threats or relationship history in the assessment.
4
Weapons Offences & Firearms Charges
Weapons charges range from unauthorized possession to use of a firearm during an offence, with mandatory minimums for many firearms offences. The legal definitions and available defences are shaped by detailed case law.
Prompt:
“What are the mandatory minimum sentences for possession of a loaded prohibited firearm?”
Casey returns cases applying mandatory minimum provisions for firearms offences, including constitutional challenges to those minimums, and how courts sentenced firearms possession in different circumstances.
5
Robbery & Use of Force
Robbery combines theft with violence or the threat of violence. The range of conduct captured by the offence is broad, from purse snatching to armed robbery, and sentencing varies dramatically based on the circumstances.
Prompt:
“What is the sentencing range for robbery with a weapon in Canada?”
Casey surfaces decisions showing sentencing ranges for armed robbery, how courts weighed the use of weapons, degree of planning, and impact on victims — helping lawyers make targeted sentencing submissions.
6
Domestic Violence & Intimate Partner Offences
Violent offences in a domestic context carry specific aggravating factors and often involve bail conditions, peace bonds, and safety planning. Courts treat intimate partner violence seriously, and the case law reflects that approach.
Prompt:
“How do courts treat domestic violence as an aggravating factor in sentencing for assault?”
Casey returns cases where courts applied the intimate partner aggravating factor, analyzed the impact on sentencing ranges, and considered the interplay between protective conditions and the accused's rights.
Real Scenarios
Canadian law distinguishes between simple assault, assault causing bodily harm, and aggravated assault. The classification affects both the available defences and the sentencing range, and the line between levels is not always clear.
Prompt:
“What is the difference between assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault?”
Casey returns cases where courts distinguished between levels of assault, defined what constitutes bodily harm versus wounds or disfigurement, and showed the sentencing implications of each classification.
Canada's self-defence law was completely rewritten in 2013 to replace a confusing patchwork of provisions with a single framework, and courts are still developing the case law under the new section 34 of the Criminal Code.
Ask Casey your question and get answers backed by real case law — free for the public, powerful for professionals.