agent
An agent is someone you ask to act on your behalf. It can be a lawyer, a paralegal, a family member, or a friend. You can ask an agent to go to court for you if the offence you were charged with carries a maximum penalty of 6 months in jail and/or a $5000 fine and is:
- a summary offence, or
- a hybrid offence that the Crown has decided to handle as a summary offence.
The person acting as your agent appears in the court as if they are you.
If your case is indictable (or hybrid and the crown has not elected), you need a “designation of counsel” in order to have your lawyer or their agent appear on your behalf.