This page explains how Criminal Code Help builds its offence and process pages, what our editorial review does and does not cover, and how we keep pages current. We are publishing this page so readers can judge the reliability of what they are reading.
What this content is for
Our pages are written to help a reader understand an offence or a process in plain language before they speak with a lawyer. They are general information. They are not legal advice, and they cannot replace advice from a lawyer who knows the facts of a specific situation.
General information only. Not legal advice. Viewing this content does not create a lawyer-client relationship.
How a page is produced
- Research from primary legal sources. Each page starts from the actual text of the Criminal Code of Canada or the relevant federal statute, as published on the Government of Canada's Justice Laws website, and from published case law on CanLII or the Supreme Court of Canada's website where a case is relevant to the topic.
- Plain-language drafting. The legal source material is rewritten in plain, high-school-level language. We aim for a reader to understand the main point in one read, without legal jargon.
- Accuracy check against the source. Before publication, the page is checked against the statute section and any cited cases it describes, to confirm the page reflects what the source actually says.
- Scope check. The page is checked to confirm it stays within general information: it explains what an offence or process generally involves without telling a specific reader whether they are guilty, whether a defence will work, whether police acted lawfully, or what a court will decide.
- Editorial review and publication. A page is published once it has passed editorial review for accuracy, scope, and plain-language clarity. If a page has been editorially reviewed, it shows the date of that review. The same review steps apply before a substantive update goes live.
We prepare our content using a combination of research tools and human editorial review.
What editorial review covers
Review checks:
- That the page's description of an offence or process matches the statute section and any cited case law it points to.
- That the page uses plain language correctly and does not overstate or understate what the law says.
- That the page stays in the bounds of general information and does not slide into advice, prediction, or guarantees.
- That required disclaimers and source links are present and correct.
What editorial review does not cover
- Review does not assess any individual's specific legal situation. It cannot, because review happens before a page is published, with no facts about any reader's case.
- Review does not constitute legal advice, a legal opinion, or a recommendation about what a specific person should do.
- Review does not guarantee that a page reflects the most recent amendment or court decision at the moment a reader visits it. See "Currency and last reviewed dates" below.
- Review does not extend to lawyer-directory listings or paid placements, which are subject to their own disclosure rules, not editorial review (see Sourcing and Citations).
Currency and "last reviewed" dates
Criminal law changes through amendments, regulations, and court decisions. Offence and legal-process pages are reviewed on a recurring basis, with a target review cycle of approximately every three months where operationally feasible. Pages show a "Last reviewed" date when they have been checked through our editorial process and display the primary sources they are based on. A "last reviewed" date means our editorial team checked that page against its sources as of that date. It is editorial, not legal advice, and it does not mean the page reflects every change made after that date.
If you are relying on the law for a real decision, confirm the current wording of the statute and speak with a lawyer licensed in your province or territory.
Corrections
If you believe a page contains an error, you can report it. See our Accuracy & Reporting page for how reports are handled.