A client of our firm was charged with theft of under $5000 from a grocery store in the Québec area. It should be noted that the merchandise had been recovered. Our client had already received an absolute discharge in the past for simple cocaine possession. It was therefore more difficult to obtain a second discharge. We demonstrated that our client had just completed a technical diploma in network computing, and that a criminal record could seriously jeopardize his future career, since he would have access to confidential data as part of his duties.
We also demonstrated that our client had sought therapy to control his drinking problem. The judge agreed to our request and our client obtained a second absolute discharge, so he could pursue his career in the IT field without any trouble.