Information for Clients – 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.

Why instruct BELINDA KNIGHT Solicitor?

From our offices in FORBURY SQUARE, READING, RG1 3EU see here for directions BELINDA KNIGHT solicitor provides the very best advice and representation in Criminal Law cases, both Legal Aid and privately funded.

We have a huge amount of experience of advising and representing people accused of a wide range of offences such as:-

– People accused of offences ranging from Speeding to Causing Death by Dangerous Driving.  We have a proven track record in helping people keep their licences which has enabled us to build a strong reputation in this area of the law.

– Our Criminal Defence Team has been defending successfully in serious complex and high-profile criminal cases including murder and terrorism for nearly 30 years. This has led to us establishing a superb reputation in criminal defence work.

To deliver our services:-

– We provide a quality service from the Police Station to the Court of Appeal in Legal Aid and privately funded cases.

– We will fight for you where others won’t.

– Unlike many national firms, we will not refer work to self employed agents. We are your specialist lawyer, who will be available to you throughout the process.

Fixed Fee: £450 + VAT + travel expenses
What is Included?
Attendance and/or preparation.
Considering your evidence.
Taking your instructions.
Providing advice on likely sentence.
Attendance and representation at a single hearing at the Magistrates Court.
What’s Not included
Instruction of any expert witnesses.
Taking statements from any witnesses.
Advice and assistance in relation to a Special Reasons Hearing.2
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 you to provide instructions on what happened.
  • Consider initial disclosure and any other evidence and provide advice.
  • Explain the court procedure to you so that you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentence options available to the court.
  • Conduct 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.
  • Discuss the outcome with you.  If advice is required on appeal, this will carry an additional cost.

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

We do not offer a fixed fee where you intend to deny the allegations that you face and the case will proceed to a summary trial (or a Special Reasons Hearing) in the Magistrates Court. In this situation you will be represented at Court by Belinda Knight Solicitor, unless it is agreed with you that an independent advocate should be instructed. The hourly rate will be £250 per hour + VAT.  We will require a payment on account of costs to be made upon instruction, the amount of which will depend on our assessment of the work that is likely to be required to deal with your case to completion.  In cases in which there is a trial lasting 3 hours, we expect that the case is likely to require 6 or 7 hours work in total.


What is included?

  • Attendance on you (in person or on the telephone, as required);
  • Considering the prosecution evidence;
  • Taking your instructions;
  • Instructing expert witnesses;
  • Taking statements from defence witnesses;
  • Representation at a first hearing where a plea is entered;
  • Preparation for trial;
  • Attendance and representation at a trial Hearing before the Reading or Slough Magistrates court;
  • Representation at a sentencing if convicted;
  • Correspondence with you, the Court and the Crown Prosecution Service as necessary.
What is not included?
  • Disbursements, such as instructing an expert witness to prepare a report for use in Court
  • Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal

Information for Clients – Motoring Offences

Key Stages Involved

The key stages of your matter are based on the presumption that the allegation that you face are denied and will proceed to a contested trial fixed after your first appearance at Court.  They typically include:

– Discussing the case with you so that you can provide instructions on what happened;
– Considering initial disclosure, and any other evidence and providing advice;
– Explaining the court procedure to you so that you know what to expect on the day of the initial hearing (when you enter your plea/s of Not Guilty) and the trial hearing itself. In the event that you are convicted after trial what is likely to happen at the sentencing hearing and the options available to the Court;
– Conducting any further preparatory work, obtaining further instructions from you if necessary, and answering any follow up queries you have as appropriate;
– Attending court at the first listing and trial hearing and meeting with you before going before the court. We anticipate being at court for up to half a day in straightforward contested summary-only motoring cases;
– Discussing the outcome with you. If detailed 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.

References

1A summary only office is an offence which can only be tried in the Magistrates Court.  There are exceptions. Under the Criminal Justice Act 1998 (CJA 1988) offences specified on the Act can be tried on indictment by jury if they are linked to an office triable only in the Crown Court.  The principle 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
  • Speeding

2 Special Reasons pertain exclusively to situations where the accused has been found or has pleaded 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.