The Gladue Report Guide is a plain language guide for Gladue report writers that outlines how to prepare and write effective reports to help Indigenous people before the court to receive fair treatment.

The guide explains Gladue rights as well as Gladue factors in sentencing, bail hearings and restorative justice. It describes:

• What’s in a report
• How to gather information for a report
• Writing guidelines to follow

Important information about the Gladue Report process

Getting a Gladue report written for you involves several steps. For information about how your lawyer can secure funding for a report through Legal Aid BC (LABC), please see the page titled “Request a Gladue Report.”

Once a Gladue report is assigned to a Legal Aid BC Gladue (LABC) writers roster member, they will complete the report within eight weeks of receiving the necessary materials from defence counsel.

The information that LABC will need from your lawyer includes:

• Has your client plead guilty or been found guilty?
• Are you able to adjourn for the report production?
• Which community is your client from?
• Where is the client currently residing?
• What is Crown’s sentencing position?
• What are the charges?

Once a Gladue Report Writer has accepted a referral to write the report, the writer will contact your lawyer to request the following information:

• Particulars from the Crown
• Contact information for Crown Counsel
• Copy of Information/Indictment and criminal record check
• Sentencing positions of both Crown and Defence
• Mandatory minimum sentences for the offence(s) if applicable
• Applicable court dates
• Any documentation that will provide insight into your past and current situation, including medical diagnosis, social services history, and copies of relevant reports
• Copy of pre-sentence report and psychiatric/psychological assessment
• Information about any cognitive, mental, or physical impairment or other issues that may require special consideration and/or accommodation in the report process
• Contact information for you and any family/community members you would like to have interviewed for the Gladue report
• An executed consent to release information signed by you

Once this information is received, the Gladue report writer will contact you by phone and/or email, to begin the process.

To learn more and read the guide, please visit the Legal Aid Gladue Guide page.