A criminal prosecution begins with a notice of offence being served on the merchant, one of its representatives, or one of its directors. The notice of offence is a legal document that describes the offence of which the defendant is being accused. The defendant may plead guilty or not guilty. If the merchant pleads not guilty or fails to respond within the prescribed deadline, the file is referred to the courts. Information about the prosecution is withdrawn from the Get Information About a Merchant tool 5 years after the notice of offence is served on the merchant, or 3 years after the result of the prosecution has been processed by the Office.