Provincial Offences

About the Provincial Court Office

The Provincial Offences Court is responsible for the administration, courtroom support and prosecution of Provincial Offences Act offences as well as municipal by-laws within the City of London. The facility is accessible by wheelchair through the front entrance. 

 POA on e-laws  

The Provincial Offences Court Office:

  • Processes and accepts payment of Provincial Offences fines
  • Accepts filing of Provincial Offences Act matters including re-openings, motions and extensions of time to pay fines
  • Handles general inquiries about Provincial Offences matters
  • Provides staff and support for Provincial Offences court proceedings

Court staff cannot provide legal advice.

What to do if you receive a ticket or summons

If you receive an Offence Notice which contains an Early Resolution Option, you have 15 days from the receipt of the Notice to exercise one of the three options below, otherwise a conviction may be entered in your absence.

  1. Plea of Guilty – voluntary payment of total payable fine
  2. Early Resolution – meet with prosecution
  3. Trial in Court
Option One: Plea of Guilty – voluntary payment of total payable fine

Return the completed Payment Notice to the Provincial Offences Administration Office. Include the Offence Notice and your payment. Do not send cash or post-dated cheques.

  • Cheques or money orders should be made payable to “City of London”.
  • Cheques or money orders should include the Offence Notice number 
  • Credit card payments can be made by calling (519) 661-1882. 
  • Internet payment options are available at www.paytickets.ca
  • City of London parking tickets must be paid via the parking division.
Option Two: Early Resolution – meet with prosecution

A meeting will be scheduled with a municipal prosecutor to discuss your charge(s). You do not forego the right to a trial. During the meeting, you can discuss the position of the prosecutor, time to pay a fine, obtaining disclosure or pleading to a lesser offence supported by the facts. 

An Early Resolution meeting can be requested by mailing your Provincial Offence Notice to the court office, emailing the completed form, bringing it in to the office in person, or by submitting it online here. Early Resolution meetings may be scheduled by telephone or video appearance or can be held in person.

Court staff will mail you a meeting notice to the address on the certificate of offence or as indicated in the request. The notice will indicate the time, date and location of your meeting with the prosecutor, as well as a telephone number or connection details to attend your meeting.  Please notify court staff if your address has changed. The Early Resolution process may lead to one of the following outcomes:

Resolution Reached with Prosecutor

If, after meeting with a prosecutor, a resolution is reached you will be required to attend before a justice of the peace to endorse the resolution.

No Resolution Reached with Prosecutor

If a resolution to the charge cannot be reached through a meeting with a prosecutor, your matter will be set for a future trial date.

Option Three: Trial option

You or your representative must file a Notice of Intention to Appear in Court by email or in person at the court office. A trial will be scheduled for the first available court date and a Notice of Trial will be mailed to you, usually within eight to ten weeks of receipt of your Notice of Intention to Appear.  If you do not appear at the resulting trial, you may be convicted in your absence and costs in addition to any penalty may be assessed by the court.

Options available if you have received a Summons

If you have received a Summons the procedures noted above for Provincial Offences Offence Notices do not apply.

A Summons indicates a court date instead of a fine. You or your agent  are required to attend court on the date indicated on the Summons to address  the matter in Provincial Offences Court. Should you fail to appear in court, a warrant may be issued for your arrest, or the court may proceed to trial in your absence. If you have received a Summons and require additional information, please contact POA Court Office staff.

Court proceedings

Provincial Offences Act matters are being conducted in person, with hybrid capabilities for attendance by phone or Zoom.  

If you are a defendant or a participant and need to confirm the courtroom you are scheduled to attend, please refer to your Notice and reference the information below.

Remote Court: Zoom links and dockets 

Remote Appearance Code of Conduct / Code de conduite pour les comparutions à distance

 

Have you moved?

Please ensure your address is current so you do not miss court dates. Contact the court at POAAdmin@london.ca for any required changes.

Convictions and payments of fines

Once convicted of an offence, a Notice of Fine and Due Date will be mailed informing you of your conviction and your payment due date as a courtesy. It is your responsibility to pay the fine(s) by the due date provided.  If you do not receive your notice, you are still responsible to the pay the fine(s).

If you fail to pay your fine(s), actions such as licence suspension, plate denial, civil action (small claims court) or reporting the outstanding debt to a collection agency can be taken against you. Please ensure that your address is current by notifying the court of any changes.

If you cannot pay your outstanding fine in full, you may attend the court office to apply for an Extension of Time to Pay.  Your application will be reviewed by court staff/a justice of the peace who will determine whether to allow the extension . It is your responsibility to follow up with the court to determine whether it was granted.

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Court Transcript Request Process

How to Order a Court Transcript

Email POAadmin@London.ca to request the form to order a Transcript.

Guides for defendants
Online forms
Municipal Prosecution Office
How do I obtain disclosure?

Complete the Request for Disclosure Form (Request for Disclosure Form.pdfDemande de Divulgation.pdf) and deliver the completed and signed form by email to disclosure@london.ca or in person, by mail or fax at the contacts above. 

Disclosure is completed in a priority sequence based on Trial date. 

Disclosure is available for pick-up at the Municipal Prosecution Office. Please call to ensure disclosure is ready. Disclosure will not be mailed to you.

Speed Measuring Devices

If you have been charged with speeding and the officer used a radar or laser device, a copy of the relevant manual for the device used is available below. The officer's notes should indicate what device the officer used.

How can I resolve my matter if there is no early resolution option on the offence notice?

If you have been charged with an offence under the POA for which there is no early resolution option on the offence notice, you may discuss a resolution of your matter prior to your court date by contacting the prosecution office with your file number and court date on hand.

Some offences are prosecuted by provincial prosecutors and the municipal prosecutor will advise you if this is the case. If you have just received your Notice of Trial and your trial is more than three months away, please wait at least a month prior to your trial date to contact our office for a resolution. 

Note: If a resolution is reached you must still attend court on your scheduled trial date to enter the resolution on the record.  You also have the option to pay your ticket out of court any time prior to your trial.

For Roadside Reductions in relation to speeding offences, please note that where the rate of speed was reduced at the roadside, if the matter proceeds to trial, the prosecution may seek to amend the ticket to the higher rate of speed if there is evidence of the higher rate of speed (York (Regional Municipality) v. Winlow).

 

Last modified:Thursday, March 21, 2024