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Justin Bieber Fined Just $750 for Assault, Careless Driving

By Christopher Coble, Esq. on June 05, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Justin Bieber pled guilty to assault and careless driving charges as part of a plea bargain that will see him pay $750 (Canadian) in fines. Charges of dangerous driving stemming from and ATV accident last year were dropped.

So did The Biebs get off light? While the fine won't put a dent in his $200 million pockets, was it normal for these charges? Let's take a look:

Assault in Alberta

Under Canadian law, assault is applying force intentionally to another person, directly or indirectly, without his or her consent, and is punishable by up to five years in jail. Without knowing how often assault charges are pled down, it seems like Bieber got a pretty good deal, especially considering his criminal history.

Careless Driving in Quebec

Canada's careless driving statute prohibits people from driving or riding "any motor vehicle, bicycle, horse or other animal upon any highway without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway." The maximum fine for careless driving is $2,000, so $750 seems like a steal.

One can't help but wonder if the judge was swayed by Bieber's reputation as a careful and considerate driver.

Dangerous Driving in Dauphin

This one's a doozey. A dangerous driving conviction, which consists of operating a motor vehicle "in a manner that is dangerous to the public" can get you a $5,000 fine and five years in jail; ten if someone is injured. Perhaps prosecutors were happy to drop this charge because at least he was sober this time.

As these crimes were committed north of the border, and not in his gated community in LA, it is unclear whether they will affect Bieber's citizenship status. For now he'll just have to focus on paying off that huge fine. Maybe the judge will let him do community service instead.

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