If you have been charged with a criminal offence in Kelowna or anywhere in the Central Okanagan, the decisions you make in the first hours and days matter. Julian Van Der Walle is a criminal lawyer Kelowna residents call when they want focused defence representation at the Kelowna Law Courts.
Julian appears regularly at 1355 Water Street, knows the local Crown counsel, and represents clients across Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Westbank, Glenmore, Mission, and Rutland. Practice areas include impaired driving, assault, drug charges, firearms offences, IRP appeals, and computer crime.
Call 1-877-212-9645 for a free, confidential consultation.
LOCAL COURT EXPERIENCE
WEST KELOWNA TO LAKE COUNTRY
CALL 1-877-212-9645
Most criminal matters arising in Kelowna and the surrounding Central Okanagan are heard at the Kelowna Law Courts on Water Street in downtown Kelowna. The provincial court there hears summary conviction matters, bail hearings, and the bulk of plea and trial work. Indictable matters can move to BC Supreme Court at the same complex.
Julian Van Der Walle appears in Kelowna regularly. That matters: every courthouse runs at its own pace, Crown counsel rotate locally, and a defence lawyer who already knows the room walks in with an edge over counsel parachuting in from Vancouver. Most of Julian’s Kelowna files originate from Kelowna RCMP or West Kelowna RCMP investigations and roadside stops along Highway 97.
A criminal charge in Kelowna can put your record, your employment, your travel, and in serious cases your liberty at risk. Julian reviews every file the same way: read every page of Crown disclosure, examine police conduct for Charter breaches that affect admissibility of evidence, and build a defence aimed at the outcome you actually need – whether that is a withdrawal, a stay of proceedings, an acquittal, or the best resolution available.
For cases involving impaired driving, that often means scrutinizing the ASD demand, the breath test procedure, and the officer’s grounds. For drug files, it often means challenging the warrant or the search. The defence work is always tailored to the file, never templated.
The first conversation is free. Julian reviews the charge, the disclosure if you have it, the bail or release conditions if any are in place, and the dates that matter. From there, the next steps are concrete: obtain full Crown disclosure, review for issues, decide whether to resolve early or set for trial, and prepare accordingly.
Most Kelowna files involve at least one or two appearances at the Kelowna Law Courts before resolution or trial. Julian attends every appearance personally. There are no junior associates handling court time and no surprises at the bench.
Your defence starts with a confidential, no-obligation consultation. Julian listens to your account, reviews the charges and circumstances of your arrest, and provides an honest assessment of your situation and legal options moving forward.
Once Crown disclosure is received, Julian conducts a line-by-line review of the evidence, police notes, and witness statements. He identifies weaknesses in the Crown's case, procedural errors, and any Charter breaches that could lead to evidence being excluded or charges being stayed.
Julian appears on your behalf at the Kelowna Law Courts for every hearing, whether it involves bail, pre-trial motions, plea negotiations with the Crown, or a full trial. His goal is always the best possible outcome for your future.
“I sincerely promise and swear that I will diligently, faithfully, and to the best of my ability execute the offices of barrister and solicitor; that I will not promote suits on frivolous pretences; that I will not pervert the law to favour or prejudice anyone; but in all things conduct myself truly and with integrity; and that I will uphold the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of all persons according to the laws of Canada and of the province of British Columbia.”
– Julian van der Walle
Julian defends the full range of criminal charges that move through the Kelowna Law Courts. Some files start with Kelowna RCMP at a downtown disturbance call. Others start with a Highway 97 traffic stop, a search warrant on a residence, or an investigation involving UBC Okanagan students. Every file gets the same approach: review the evidence, find the issues, build the defence.
Received an IRP at a Kelowna roadside stop? The 7-day appeal window is tight. Learn about IRP defence.
Possession, trafficking, and production charges in Kelowna often hinge on Charter and search-warrant issues. Drug charge defence.
From downtown Kelowna disturbance calls to serious assault allegations. Crown often overcharges - the right defence can downgrade the file. Assault defence.
Cyber harassment, unauthorized computer use, and possession of harmful content cases turn on technical evidence. Computer crime defence.
Many firearms charges carry mandatory minimum sentences. Storage, pointing, and trafficking charges all defendable. Firearms defence.
Conviction or sentence appeals to the BC Court of Appeal and beyond. Filing deadlines are short - act quickly. Criminal appeals.
Highway 97 and downtown Kelowna see high enforcement volume. DUI, over .08, and refusal charges all defendable. Impaired driving defence.
Theft, fraud, mischief, breach, and other Criminal Code matters arising in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan. Other charges.
Whatever the charge, the first step is the same: get advice from a criminal lawyer who knows the Kelowna Law Courts. Julian offers free consultations – no commitment, fully confidential.
Call 1-877-212-9645 or send a message through the contact form. If you are facing a court date, a disclosure deadline, or an IRP appeal window, mention it on the call and the consultation will be scheduled accordingly.
If you have been criminally charged and are not sure what to do, you need to get competent legal representation right away.
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