Client charged with impaired driving and failing to attend court and initially retained a legal agent (non-lawyer), who failed to tell the client they were not a lawyer but made several initial court appearances on the client’s behalf. Defence argued that jurisdiction was lost as the accused did not voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the Court within the 6 month period specified by s. 485(3) of the Criminal Code, and that the charges should be dismissed for want of prosecution.
Held: Charges dismissed for want of prosecution