Driving Offences
Motoring offences are often thought of as “not really crimes at all” but a conviction for even a minor motoring offence can cost you dearly when you try to renew your insurance – and the more serious ones can cost you your job or even your liberty.
You don’t have to engage a lawyer of course, though there’s almost certainly a lot of people sitting (or standing) on crowded buses who rather wish they’d used a professional defence lawyer instead of trusting to luck or over-estimating their own ability to convince the court of their innocence.
We know road traffic law inside-out and back-to-front, as well as all the technicalities and special defences that could make the difference between you walking free from court or walking everywhere for the foreseeable future.
Courts have draconian powers they can use in motoring cases, including banning you and then you may have to take an extended driving test before you get your licence back.
Whatever you’re charged with, we’ll do our utmost to prove your innocence if possible or minimise the consequences for you if it’s not.
Do you know what magistrates regard as “exceptional hardship”? and can you quote legal precedents that dictate what the court can do to you at sentencing time? No? Then we’ll be happy to represent you, mount the best possible defence for your actions, and support you every step of the way from the roadside or police station to the verdict.
We can use our expertise to defend you if you’re accused of:
- Dangerous driving
- Speeding
- Careless driving
- Drink-driving
- Failure to provide a specimen
- Driving without a licence or insurance
- Failing to stop after or report an accident
FIXED FEE: We operate fixed fees typically in the region of £300 – £600 + VAT depending on the nature and complexity of the case. The fee includes:
- considering the evidence
- Taking your instructions
- providing advice on likely sentence
- attendance and representation at a single hearing at the Magistrates Court
The fee does not include:
- instruction of any expert
- taking statements from witnesses
- assistance in relation to any appeal
The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that you have entered a guilty plea and have a date for your hearing.
- meet with your solicitor to provide instructions
- consider initial disclosure and any other evidence and provide advice
- explain the court procedure so that you know what to expect on the day of the hearing and the sentencing options available to the court
- conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you and if necessary answer any follow up queries that you have
- we cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day
- we will attend court on the day and meet with you before going into court. We anticipate being at court for half a day
- we will discuss the outcome with you and provide you with advice on appeal if appropriate
If your case is before another court please contact the office for a quote as additional costs will be incurred as a result of travel to the court centre, this will include additional fees to cover our travel time as well as any disbursements.
If you intend to plead not guilty and the case were to proceed to trial we can provide further information on costs but are likely to charge either an hourly rate of £200 + VAT or we can agree a fixed fee with you.
In the event that any case requires the instruction of an expert, or obtaining of reports these costs are additional to any fixed fee quoted.