If you have retained a lawyer at your first court appearance, your lawyer will be appearing on your behalf. Your lawyer will get on the court record and present themselves as your acting, acting on your behalf.
However, if you do not have a lawyer, you would appear yourself.
Your first court appearance is simply a matter of appearing in court and getting yourself on the court record. You will say your full name to the Justice of the Peace and the number on the court list given to your file.
The Justice of the Peace will note your appearance in court. They will tell you about your language rights. You can then advise which language, English or French, you would like to proceed with.
At this point, you can ask the crown counsel present in court about your charges if you are unaware. If you are aware of the crown’s charges, then you will inform the court that you will obtain the “particulars,” also known as the “police disclosure.”
This documentation package is a compilation of all the evidence, information, and the position of the crown counsel. You can request the police disclosure package from the Crown counsel office, either in person or online. This process will take some time as the disclosure may not be readily available.
Also, at the courthouse, you can consult duty counsel for immediate legal advice.