Criminal Law and Mental Health

It is an unfortunate fact that persons living with mental illness are often charged with committing criminal offences. When a person with mental health issues is accused of committing a crime, defence counsel must advance a specific set of arguments in order to safeguard the accused person's legal rights and needs.

Cynthia Fromstein is a noted authority on the intersection of mental health and the criminal law. Throughout her nearly three-decades-long career, Ms. Fromstein has represented countless people with mental illnesses who have been accused of crimes. Ms. Fromstein and David Connally at the Toronto law firm of Cynthia Fromstein Barristers can give you the information and advice you need if you or a loved one is facing charges and lives with mental health issues.

Seeking Alternative Solutions

Our lawyers know the stress of dealing with the presence of a mental illness and how that can be compounded by criminal charges. Accused persons and their family members often receive inadequate support for the serious medical issues they face, and too often persons suffering from mental illness are warehoused in jails. At our firm, part of our objective is to seek diversion from the criminal justice system for these accused people whenever possible. We have represented clients in Toronto, Etobicoke and the surrounding regions on all ranges of criminal charges where mental health is a central issue, including homicide and arson, and have the expert medical resources to advance our defence strategy. Our team treats our clients with the respect that they deserve and approaches their defence with compassion and diligence.

Cynthia Fromstein has written and spoken extensively on these issues and was appointed to sit as an Alternative Chair on the Ontario Review Board that reviews cases of individuals who have been found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) for the commission of crimes.

Lawyers For Mental Health And Criminal Law Issues In Brampton And The GTA

If you seek advice or representation from a Toronto lawyer regarding mental health and crime issues, schedule a consultation with our firm. Call us at 416-960-8111, or contact us online.