Motoring Offences

Introduction

As part of our professional rules, we aim to ensure that anyone wishing to use our services has the information they need to make an informed choice of legal services provider, including understanding what the costs may be.

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Why instruct Paisleys Solicitors?

Paisleys Solicitors specialise in criminal defence in all areas of Criminal Law. We undertake both legally aided clients and those who are privately funded. We strive to ensure our clients have expert assistance at the point of arrest, the Magistrates and Crown Court as well as appeals in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Based in Workington, our approach to clients is one of friendliness and efficiency. Our clients are made to feel welcome but also confident that their legal issues are dealt with in a manner that both expedient and competent. We strive to create the right impression by being as available and as approachable as possible. We can offer appointments outside normal working hours and are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year for emergencies and clients who have been arrested. We feel it important that our clients to have access to a solicitor at all times and we ensure that as a firm we work as efficiently as possible to deliver an excellent service to all our clients.

There are many driving offences which can vary from minor offences to major offences and so can the punishments. We can help with drink/drug driving, mobile phone offences, speeding, dangerous driving and driving without insurance to name a few. These laws are in place to protect you, however if you have fallen victim too such an offence then we are here to help you get out of it. At Paisleys Solicitors we are trained to handle every issue promptly and professionally, to help put your mind at ease.

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Motoring offence, summary only [i]

 

Our Fees

Guilty Plea – Fixed Fee £400.00 + £80.00 vat

Contested Hearing – Fixed Fee £1,000 + £200.00 vat

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What is included?

• Attendance and/or preparation;

• Considering evidence;

• Taking your instructions;

• Providing advice on likely sentence;

• Attendance and representation at a single hearing at the Magistrates Court.

 

What is not included?

• Instruction of any expert witnesses;

• Taking statements from any witnesses;

• Advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons[ii] hearing;

• Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.

 

Key stages involved

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. They typically include:

• Meet with your you to provide instructions on what happened;

• Consider initial disclosure, and any other evidence and provide advice;

• Arranging to take any witness statements, if necessary. This will have an additional cost, of a solicitors hourly rate.       These are set out below.

• Explain the court procedure to you so you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the Court;

• Conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you, if necessary, and answer any follow up queries you have;

• Attend court on the day, meet with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for half a day. Unfortunately, due to court listings we are unable to offer you an exact time slot.

• Discuss the outcome with you. If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost.

 

Please note we cannot provide a timescale of when your hearing will take place, as this depends on the court listing for that day.

 

Motoring offence, summary only, Trial

Fixed cost of £1,000 & £200.00 Vat. Please note however that it is only an estimate and you must contact us beforehand so we can discuss this with you.

 

The team is made up of:

John Cooper – Senior Partner, Solicitor & Head of Department. Hourly Rate of £250.00 & £50.00 vat

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[i] A summary only offence is an offence which can only be tried in the magistrates’ court. There are exceptions. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (CJA 1988) offences specified in the Act can be tried on indictment by a jury if they are linked to an offence triable only in the Crown Court. The principal summary only offences are:

• driving whilst disqualified

• careless and inconsiderate driving

• failing to give information as to the identity of the driver

• failing to stop or report, and

 

[ii] Special Reasons pertain exclusively to situations where the accused has been found or has pled guilty and now faces disqualification unless he/she can persuade the Court that the circumstances of the offence are such that it would be unjust to impose a ban.