Julian Van Der Walle
Criminal Lawyer in Penticton, BC
“Hard Work and Integrity Lead to Great Results”
Criminal defence for Penticton and the South Okanagan
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Penticton, Julian Van Der Walle is a criminal lawyer Penticton clients can reach the same day. He has practised nothing but criminal defence since he was called to the bar in 2010, and he defends impaired driving, drug, assault and firearms charges at the Penticton Law Courts on Main Street. If you were stopped for drinking and driving, read how Julian works as a DUI lawyer in Penticton.
Most Penticton files start the same way. An arrest or a ticket from the Penticton RCMP, a release document with conditions, and a first appearance date at 100 Main Street. That’s where Julian’s work begins. He gets the disclosure, reads every page of it and tells you plainly whether the case against you holds up.
What happens after a charge in Penticton
Your first appearance in Penticton Provincial Court is usually short. Nobody pleads guilty that day and nothing about your case gets decided. What matters is getting a lawyer on the record early, so the Crown’s disclosure goes to someone who knows what to look for. If you were held for a bail hearing, Julian can speak to your release so you aren’t kept at the Okanagan Correctional Centre near Oliver any longer than necessary.
From there it comes down to the evidence. Was the stop lawful? Were you told about your right to a lawyer and given a real chance to call one? Did police have grounds for the search? Those questions decide a lot of Penticton cases before anyone gets near a trial.
Call 1-866-706-8857 any time, or see how Julian handles cases at the Penticton courthouse. Charged in Summerland? Those cases go to the same courthouse, and Julian covers them on the Summerland criminal defence page.
DUI lawyer in Penticton
Impaired driving and drug charges make up most of Julian’s practice. A lot of Penticton drivers stopped on Highway 97 or downtown end up with an Immediate Roadside Prohibition and no criminal charge at all. Others are charged with impaired driving, over 80 or refusal under the Criminal Code. The two run on separate tracks with different deadlines, and an IRP review has to be filed with RoadSafetyBC within 7 days.
Either way, Julian looks at the reason for the stop, how the breath demand was made and whether you were given a real chance to call a lawyer. A problem at any of those steps can end the case. Read how he works as a DUI lawyer in Penticton, or what to do about an IRP in Penticton.
Recent results for Penticton area clients
The King v. H.(R.) 2025
A Penticton driver crashed and blew well over the legal limit. Before Crown decided whether to approve charges, Julian wrote to Crown counsel setting out the constitutional problems with the police investigation. No criminal charges were approved, and Julian also won the 90 day driving prohibition.
The King v. C.(L.) 2022
Stopped for running a stop sign in downtown Penticton, the client drove off before a sobriety test and was charged with refusal, flight from police and dangerous driving. All of the criminal charges were dropped. He paid a small fine on a non-criminal ticket and wasn’t prohibited from driving.
The King v. T.(C.) 2022
After a collision on the highway near Summerland, the client was charged with impaired driving, refusing a breath demand and resisting arrest. Julian showed Crown the breath demand was likely unlawful. The criminal charges were stayed, she paid a small fine on a non-criminal ticket and didn’t lose her licence for a day.
See more of Julian’s past wins.
Questions about hiring a criminal lawyer in Penticton
Where are criminal cases heard in Penticton?
Charges laid by the Penticton, Summerland, Oliver, Osoyoos and Keremeos RCMP are generally heard in Provincial Court at the Penticton Law Courts, 100 Main Street.
Do I need a lawyer for a first offence?
A first offence still leads to a criminal record if you’re convicted. Many first offences end without one when the stop, the search or the breath tests don’t hold up, so it’s worth having the disclosure reviewed before you decide anything.
How quickly can I speak to Julian?
Call 1-866-706-8857 any time. The first consultation is free and confidential.
“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
Charges Julian defends in Penticton
Immediate Roadside Prohibition
Blew a fail or refused at a Penticton roadside stop? You have 7 days to apply for a review with RoadSafetyBC.
Firearms Offences
Storage, transport and possession charges, including hunting season files from the Similkameen.
Drug Charges
Possession, trafficking and production charges, where the legality of the search is often the whole case.
Appeals
Conviction and sentence appeals from the Penticton courts to the BC Supreme Court or the BC Court of Appeal.
Assault Charges
Common, domestic and aggravated assault charges, and the no-contact conditions that come with them.
Drinking & Driving
Impaired, over 80 and refusal charges in Penticton Provincial Court, where both the stop and the breath tests get tested.
Computer Crime
Charges built on phones, laptops and online accounts, where the search warrant is usually the first target.
Other Criminal Charges
Theft, fraud, mischief, breaches and every other Criminal Code charge heard in Penticton.
The King v. H.(R.) 2025
The client crashed his car and ended up blowing well over the legal limit. Police recommended that he be charged with impaired driving in Penticton, and he was facing the loss of his driver's licence and a potential jail sentence. The client hired Mr. van der Walle,...
The King v. W.(A.) 2024
The client agreed to loan woman whom he had previously had sexual relations with a $100 loan to help her make rent for the month at her apartment in Penticton BC. The woman flirted with the client prior to his arrival at her apartment to give her the money by sending...
The King v. L.(K.) 2024
The client was pulled over by police after being observed weaving late at night on the highway near Kelowna BC. The officer smelled alcohol and had the client blow into a roadside device. The device registered a “fail” reading and the client was arrested and taken...
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