Section 172(1) Corrupting A Child
Looking for advice/insight from any Canadian criminal or family law practitioners or those familiar with NS procedure.
I am dealing with a sudden, malicious criminal charge (Sec 172(1) "corrupting children") that was weaponized against me in the middle of a high-conflict custody dispute and a stalled needs-of-the-child assessment.
Context:
- I have contemporaneous text message logs that completely contradict the allegations. The messages show me actively opposing illicit behavior, grounding the minor, enforcing bans on locations where drugs/drinking were happening, and the other party initially thanking me and validating my actions ("you did the right thing").
- The charge was laid immediately after I stepped back from a stressful court battle (due to health/pregnancy/PTSD) and offered to step back to weekend visits to try and find peace, which cut off the other party's ability to maintain litigation control.
- I am terrified, unrepresented at the moment, dealing with a high-risk pregnancy, and facing a small-town court appearance.
Questions for the group:
- How do Crown prosecutors in Nova Scotia typically view a Section 172(1) charge when there is clear, timestamped digital evidence showing the accused actively worked against the behavior being alleged?
- If I show up to my first appearance without a lawyer due to delays in Legal Aid processing, what is the best way to handle it with the judge/Duty Counsel while protecting my health?
Any constructive guidance or procedural insight would be hugely appreciated. (Posting anonymously for obvious reasons).