When you are facing criminal charges in Ottawa, the outcome of your case depends on the criminal defence lawyer standing beside you. Our experienced Ottawa criminal lawyers defend clients charged with offences ranging from assault and impaired driving to homicide, sexual assault, drug charges, and fraud.
We fight to protect your rights, your freedom, and your future at every stage. Contact our Ottawa criminal law firm for a free consultation.
*Frouhar Law does not provide legal advice, nor does it represent or act on behalf of any individual without the appropriate signed documents, confirmation and a formally executed retainer agreement.
Frouhar Law is an Ottawa criminal defence firm built on courtroom results and a commitment to protecting the accused. Our criminal lawyers bring decades of combined trial experience to every case, defending clients charged with serious criminal offences throughout Ottawa, Brockville, and Eastern Ontario.
We take on cases other firms turn away. Our criminal defence lawyers have direct trial experience in areas requiring specialized courtroom skill and a deep understanding of Canadian criminal law:
Every case receives a tailored defence strategy from our Ottawa criminal lawyers, designed to achieve the strongest outcome — whether that is a withdrawal of charges, an acquittal at trial, or a reduced sentence.
Meet Our Team
Founding partner of Frouhar Law, Mash is a criminal defence lawyer with extensive trial experience in homicide, human trafficking, and serious violent offences across every level of court in Ontario.
A criminal defence lawyer and member of the American DUI Defense Lawyers Association, Connie focuses on impaired driving defence, white collar crime, and police defence under the Police Services Act, with decades of experience in PSA hearings and SIU investigations.
Micaela is Frouhar Law’s Legal Assistant and often your first point of contact with the firm. She supports our criminal defence lawyers with scheduling, document review, and trial preparation, and is committed to connecting clients with the resources they need.
Explore Our Areas Of Practice
Assault charges in Ottawa carry serious consequences including imprisonment, a criminal record, and lasting effects on employment and immigration. Our criminal defence lawyers defend all levels of assault under the Criminal Code.
A domestic assault charge can result in a criminal record, no-contact orders, and family court implications. Our Ottawa defence lawyers challenge the Crown’s evidence and protect your rights throughout proceedings.
Aggravated assault is an indictable offence carrying up to 14 years imprisonment. We build vigorous defence strategies challenging evidence, witness credibility, and the circumstances of the charges.
Being charged with assault with a weapon is a serious criminal offence. Our defence lawyers review disclosure and fight to protect your freedom.
Impaired driving charges in Ontario carry mandatory minimum penalties including licence suspension, fines, and jail time. Connie D’Angelo leads our DUI defence practice with specialized expertise in breathalyzer challenges, field sobriety test procedures, and Charter rights violations during traffic stops.
Police must follow strict procedures when administering breathalyzer and field sobriety tests. Errors in protocol, equipment calibration, or traffic stop legality form the basis of a strong defence. Our criminal lawyers scrutinize the Crown’s evidence to challenge impaired driving charges.
A first-time DUI conviction in Ontario results in a minimum $1,000 fine, a one-year driving prohibition, and a criminal record affecting travel, employment, and insurance. Repeat offences carry mandatory jail time. Experienced criminal defence representation is critical to avoiding these consequences.
Drug offences in Canada are prosecuted under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Cannabis Act. Penalties range from fines and probation for simple possession to lengthy prison sentences for trafficking and production. Our criminal defence lawyers defend all drug charges in Ottawa courts.
Possession for the purpose of trafficking is a serious indictable offence. Our defence lawyers challenge search warrants, Charter violations, and the Crown’s evidence linking clients to alleged trafficking activity.
Despite legalization, Cannabis Act charges remain common. Offences include possession over legal limits, unlicensed distribution, and cultivation beyond permitted amounts. We provide skilled criminal defence for all cannabis-related charges.
Sexual offence charges carry severe penalties including prison, registration on the national sex offender registry, and lifelong consequences for reputation and employment. Our Ottawa criminal lawyers handle sexual assault cases with the sensitivity and courtroom expertise these charges demand.
Aggravated sexual assault is among the most serious offences in the Criminal Code, carrying a maximum of life imprisonment. Our defence lawyers provide experienced representation protecting your rights and challenging the prosecution’s case.
A sexual offence conviction triggers mandatory registration under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act. Our criminal lawyers advise on SOIRA obligations and defend against registration orders.
When you face the most serious criminal charge, you need a defence lawyer with proven homicide trial experience. Our criminal lawyers have defended murder charges at trial and understand the complexity, stakes, and strategy these cases require.
First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence with no parole for 25 years. Second-degree murder carries life with parole eligibility after 10 to 25 years. Our defence lawyers build comprehensive strategies challenging evidence, intent, and the circumstances of the alleged offence.
Manslaughter carries no mandatory minimum but a maximum of life imprisonment. Our criminal defence lawyers work to distinguish manslaughter from murder and pursue favourable sentencing outcomes.
Criminal negligence causing death is an indictable offence carrying up to life in prison. Our lawyers challenge the Crown’s theory of negligence and defend your rights throughout proceedings.
White collar crime charges including fraud, identity theft, and falsification of documents carry serious penalties — imprisonment, restitution orders, and permanent damage to professional reputation. Connie D’Angelo brings focused expertise in defending complex fraud and financial crime cases.
Identity fraud offences are increasingly prosecuted in Ottawa courts. Our criminal defence lawyers review digital evidence, challenge chain of custody, and build a defence tailored to the specific allegations.
Falsification charges often arise in corporate and financial investigations. We defend these complex white collar offences with thorough evidence analysis and strategic courtroom advocacy.
Firearms and weapons charges are among the most technical areas of criminal law. Offences include unauthorized possession, unsafe storage, carrying a concealed weapon, and use of a firearm during a crime. Our criminal defence lawyers understand the regulatory framework and defend clients vigorously.
Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm without authorization is an indictable offence with mandatory minimum sentences. We challenge search legality, firearm classification, and the Crown’s evidence of possession.
Property offences in Ottawa range from theft and shoplifting to break and enter and robbery — all carrying potential jail time and a criminal record. Our criminal defence lawyers defend property crime charges at every level of severity.
Break and enter is an indictable offence carrying up to life imprisonment when involving a dwelling house. Our defence lawyers challenge the Crown’s evidence of unlawful entry and intent.
Home invasion charges carry enhanced sentencing provisions. We provide aggressive criminal defence protecting your rights and challenging the prosecution’s case.
Robbery involves theft with violence or threats and carries a maximum of life imprisonment. Our criminal lawyers defend robbery and extortion charges with strategic advocacy.
Being charged with possession of stolen property requires the Crown to prove knowledge the property was obtained by crime. We challenge that evidence and build defences focused on reasonable doubt.
Facing criminal charges without experienced defence counsel puts your future at serious risk. The criminal justice system in Ontario is complex, and Crown prosecutors in Ottawa are well-resourced. A skilled criminal defence lawyer understands how local courts, judges, and prosecutors operate — and that insight makes a measurable difference in case outcomes.
A criminal defence lawyer at Frouhar Law provides:
A criminal conviction results in a permanent record affecting employment, travel, immigration, child custody, and professional licensing. Even charges that seem minor — a first-time theft or summary conviction offence — carry consequences lasting a lifetime. Early consultation with a criminal lawyer gives you the best chance of avoiding a record.
Duty counsel provides basic legal advice at the courthouse but handles dozens of cases daily and cannot dedicate time to investigation and strategic preparation. A private criminal defence lawyer at Frouhar Law works exclusively on your case — reviewing disclosure, filing Charter motions, retaining experts, and building a defence tailored to your circumstances.
An arrest is overwhelming, but understanding the process helps you protect your rights. After an arrest in Ottawa, police will fingerprint, photograph, and process you. Depending on the severity of the charges, you may be released on a promise to appear or held in custody for a bail hearing.
If held in custody, a bail hearing is scheduled within 24 to 48 hours. The Crown may oppose release based on offence seriousness, flight risk, or public safety. Our criminal defence lawyers prepare bail plans and fight for your release.
From the moment you retain Frouhar Law, our criminal lawyers review Crown disclosure, identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s evidence, and develop your defence strategy. We assess Charter right violations and determine the strongest path to a favourable result — negotiation, preliminary hearing challenge, or trial.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects every accused person against unreasonable search and seizure, arbitrary detention, and right to counsel violations. When your Charter rights are violated, our criminal lawyers file motions to exclude evidence under section 24(2), which can result in charges being withdrawn.
We handle every stage: bail hearings, disclosure review, Crown negotiations, preliminary hearings, Charter motions, judge-alone and jury trials, sentencing, and appeals. Our Ottawa criminal defence lawyers take your case as far as necessary to protect your rights and freedom.
Frouhar Law represents clients facing criminal charges across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Our criminal defence lawyers appear at the Ottawa Courthouse at 161 Elgin Street, defending clients in the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice. We handle bail hearings, trials, sentencing, and appeals throughout the region, including Brockville and surrounding Eastern Ontario communities.
If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges in Ottawa, do not wait to seek experienced criminal defence representation. Contact Frouhar Law for a free consultation. Our criminal lawyers are ready to protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome in your case.
Exercise your right to silence and ask to speak with a criminal defence lawyer immediately. Do not provide a statement to police before consulting counsel. Contact Frouhar Law for immediate advice and bail hearing representation.
Criminal defence fees depend on charge complexity, whether the matter proceeds to trial, and the amount of disclosure involved. Frouhar Law offers a free initial consultation to discuss your case and provide transparent information about fees.
Yes — charges can be withdrawn if evidence is insufficient, Charter rights were violated, or a resolution is negotiated. Our criminal lawyers identify every opportunity to have charges reduced or dropped before trial.
Jail is not automatic for first-time offenders, but depends on offence severity. Many first-time charges result in a discharge, probation, or suspended sentence — especially with experienced criminal defence representation. However, certain offences carry mandatory minimum penalties including imprisonment.
Summary conviction offences are less serious charges with lower maximum penalties, typically tried in the Ontario Court of Justice. Indictable offences are more serious criminal charges carrying higher maximum sentences, and some include the right to a jury trial. Many criminal offences in Canada are hybrid, meaning the Crown chooses how to proceed. Your criminal defence lawyer will advise on how classification affects your case.
