Jordana H. Goldlist, criminal lawyer
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about

JHG criminal law

I have spent the last decade defending people charged with a variety of criminal offences, from first degree murder to simple assault; from importing kilos of cocaine to possessing a small baggie for personal use. Every case gets the same level of attention and every client is treated with the respect they deserve.

Today, I focus on high risk criminal litigation: homicide offences, the commercial drug trade, illegal firearm use and possession, and serious acts of violence. From Bail Hearing to Charter Application to Jury Trial, the goal is to ensure that you don’t get stuck in the trap of the Criminal Justice System.

It is a trap, designed to keep people stuck in place by detention orders and plea deals that guarantee a criminal record. I pride myself on never taking the easy way out. If there is a defence to advance, then it is pursued. And while it is impossible to predict a result, I always promise a fight.

Jordana Goldlist Best Lawyer 2023
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Recent Success

R. v. N.C. | 2022 | HAMILTON

Charge:

First degree murder

Result:

Our client was 15 years old when he was charged with first degree murder in relation to the death of a 17 year old boy.  Client, the victim, and two friends were out joy riding when a gun in the hands of our client discharged, striking the victim in the head.  The Crown theory was that the client and two of his friends were trying to rob the victim of his parent’s vehicle and shot him in the process.  At the end of the preliminary hearing, the client was discharged of first degree murder and committed to stand trial on second degree murder.  After the Crown tried but failed to have me disqualified as counsel for a conflict of interest (judgment linked below), Madalyn Bavaro and I proceeded to two weeks of pretrial motions with a six week trial about to commence when the Crown finally accepted our offer of a plea to manslaughter, which I had put on the table two years earlier.  The client of course accepted and was immediately released from custody on bail following his plea.  His sentence, 5 days later, was one of 3 years with time already served.  Sadly, and as a perfect example of how broken our justice system is, he actually spent an extra year in custody and the Court lost 6 full weeks of court time because the case resolved on the first day set for trial.