Extradition Lawyer in Vancouver BC

Extradition occurs when the Government of Canada transfers custody of an accused person to a foreign state for criminal prosecution. Canada has extradition agreements with a number of nations, including the United States. The consequences of an extradition order can be severe. The extradited person will be forced to stand trial in a foreign country that may grant criminal defendants far less legal rights than Canada. Particularly in the United States, harsher and lengthier jail sentences should generally be expected if one is convicted in an American court. Of course, the emotional cost associated with prolonged separation from family and friends cannot be ignored.

About International Extradition Law

Officially, extradition proceedings in Canada starts when a foreign state makes a request to the Government of Canada to “hand over” an individual who is alleged to have committed a crime in its territory. If this request is approved, court litigation will commence over the question of whether the Government of Canada is required to transfer custody. In the event that the court issues an extradition order, the Minister of Justice must personally approve the surrender of the person to the foreign government.

However, recent trends in international extraditions suggest that foreign governments are willing and able to take unofficial or secretive steps to obtain custody of a wanted person. As such, regardless of whether you are the target of official extradition proceedings or simply suspect that a foreign nation is investigating you for criminal wrongdoing, it is imperative to obtain immediate assistance from an extradition lawyer who is qualified in this area of the law.

Arguably, an extradition lawyer representing the accused person in an extradition matter should have an excellent understanding of the domestic criminal law in both Canada and the foreign requesting state. Since a significant number of extradition requests to Canada are from the United States, knowledge of American criminal procedure and statutory interpretation can be vital in many cases.

Extradition Law Firm in Vancouver

The firm’s founder, Mr. Vayeghan (pronunciation vay-gen), is a former BC Crown Prosecutor and a graduate of Columbia Law School in New York City. He has an outstanding knowledge of both Canadian and American criminal and constitutional law, as well as the law of extradition. He is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and the American Bar Association. During his time at Columbia, he served as Editor of the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, a well-regarded law review publication devoted to examining complex international law problems. Mr. Vayeghan will utilize his deep understanding of domestic and international criminal law to advise individuals at risk of extradition to the United States, the United Kingdom, or European Union member states. 

For a detailed discussion of your case, please email law@mvlitigation.com or call 778-327-2565 for a preliminary consultation.