Court appearances
The Calgary Courts Centre houses all levels of court except the Court of Appeal. Individuals charged with traffic or criminal offenses by the Calgary Police Service will be issued release documentation that will require them to either pay a fine or attend court. Certain fines can be paid online via the e-registry online ticket and fine payment system.
The Calgary Courts Centre is located at:
601 - 5 Street S.W.
Calgary, AB T2P 5P7
Find out more about the Alberta court system.
Process for when one is charged
A police officer may issue a ticket which can be yellow (an offence notice), or pink (a summons) for offences that are either provincial or municipal. For criminal offences, an officer may give an appearance notice or an undertaking. The instructions on this release documentation must be followed. Failing to comply with the requirements of this documentation could result in further legal consequences ranging from a conviction from absence to an additional charge and warrants issued for one's arrest.
In the case of a young person under the age of 18, their parent or guardian will be notified by police of their arrest.
The prosecution of offenses is handled by Alberta Justice - Public Prosecutions Branch, or in the case of federal offenses such as the Narcotic Control Act, by Justice Canada - Public Prosecutions Service Canada. Any person charged with an offense has the right to contact counsel, or a lawyer of their choosing. Legal Aid Alberta operates a free legal advice service for any person charged with a criminal offense.
Information for witnesses summoned to court
Witnesses to offenses will be subpoenaed by the prosecutor responsible for the case. A subpoena is an order to attend court, a failure to do so may result in a warrant for your arrest.
If you are unable to appear for any reason, you must contact the number identified on your subpoena prior to your court date. Do not contact the officer investigating the file as you are a witness for the prosecution, not the police.
If you appear as a witness in court, speak to the court clerk to obtain further information.
For more information download The Witness and the Justice System in Alberta document.
Finding information on someone who has been arrested
If for some reason a friend or family member has been arrested and is in custody with the police, Alberta privacy legislation prohibits the release of any information about persons held in custody. Persons held in custody are given access to make telephone calls from the police facility.