Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a free first conference with a criminal lawyer in Newcastle?
Yes. If you are going to court for a criminal or traffic law case, we offer a free initial consultation with an experienced, specialist defence lawyer by appointment at our Newcastle office.
How much does a criminal lawyer in Newcastle cost?
We offer affordable fixed fees for several of our services and these fees are published on our website.
These fixed fee services include:
- Bail applications in the Local, District and Supreme Court,
- Prison visits,
- Pleas of guilty and sentencing in the Local Court,
- Appeals to the District Court on the ground that the Local Court penalty was too severe,
- Driver licence appeals,
- Mental health applications in the Local Court (to have cases dismissed under section 14 / 32)
- Many less-serious defended hearings in the Local Court, and
- Attending police stations, where appropriate.
For more substantial cases, your lawyer will provide you with an estimate of costs and our firm will always provide you with fully itemised invoices in a timely manner as your case proceeds.
What is the location of a criminal law firm in Newcastle?
Our Newcastle office is at Suite 107, Level 1 of Newcastle City Business Centre which is at 17 Bolton Street in Newcastle, just near the Federal and Family Court of Australia.
Conferences at our Newcastle office are available by appointment.
Can a criminal lawyer in Newcastle help me to avoid a criminal record?
Yes. Our experienced lawyers will be able to assess your case with a view to advising as to whether we can have your charges withdrawn or thrown out of court or, if you wish to plead guilty, or by persuading the court to make a ‘non-conviction order’.
Pleading not guilty
If you wish to plead not guilty, we may be able to have your case withdrawn by drafting and sending formal ‘representations’ to the prosecution requesting that the charges be dropped due, for instance, to:
- insufficient or inconsistent evidence,
- the lack of a public interest in proceedings continuing,
- the failure to follow formal requirements for bringing or continuing with the charges, and/or
- the availability of a legal defence.
If your case nevertheless proceeds to a defended hearing (in the Local Court) or a judge-alone or jury trial (in the District or Supreme Court), we will thoroughly prepare and persuasively argue your position in court with a view to having the case dismissed.
Pleading guilty
If you wish to plead guilty, we can increase the likelihood of a ‘non-conviction order’ being made in your case by:
- negotiating the downgrading of your charges,
- negotiating the amendment of the police allegations (known as the ‘police facts’) to make them less-serious,
- guiding you on the preparation of materials such as character references and a letter of apology to the court, which can provide an insight into the conduct, show that you are remorseful, and help show there will be no further offending,
- assisting you to undertake relevant programs to address any issues which the court may believe could lead to future offending, and
- Presenting your case persuasively inside the courtroom.
These factors that significantly increase the change of you obtaining:
- A dismissal under section 10(1)(a),
- A good behaviour bond under section 10(1)(c) conditional upon you completing an ‘intervention plan’, or
- A conditional release order without conviction under section 9(1)(b).
Each of these outcomes mean that you avoid a criminal conviction and the penalties that may go with it.
Making a mental health application
If you suffer from a mental health or cognitive impairment, such as depression, anxiety or another type of condition, an application can be made in the Local Court to have your case dismissed on the condition that you enter a mental health treatment plan
If the application is successful, there will be no criminal conviction or even a finding of guilty made against your name.
Why choose a criminal lawyer in Newcastle?
Going to court can be nerve-racking, but having a strong and compassionate legal team behind you can make the experience significantly easier to deal with. Here are 12 reasons to choose our multi-award winning legal team:
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Proven Track Record of Exceptional Results
Sydney Criminal Lawyers® consistently achieves outcomes which are in the highest percentile of the Judicial Commission’s sentencing statistics for criminal cases.
Our legal team devises effective case-strategies and fights hard to have cases dropped entirely or charges downgraded – saving clients the time, expense and stress of a defended hearing or jury trial.
Where cases nevertheless proceed, our lawyers have an outstanding track record of winning defended Local Court hearings, and complex jury trials in the District and Supreme Courts.
We also consistently win appeals in the District and Supreme Courts (including the NSWCCA) after clients have received unsatisfactory results with other law firms in the lower courts.We are one of the few firms to achieve successful criminal law appeals in the High Court of Australia.
Where our clients wish to plead guilty, we frequently achieve ‘dismissals’ and ‘non convictions’ in cases where other lawyers have advised there is no chance of doing so.
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Highest Level of Client Satisfaction
We have the best and most comprehensive client review record of any law firm in Australia.
Regular communication, accessibility and quality service are our team’s highest priorities.
We are committed to thoroughly explaining all steps involved in the criminal law process, providing regular updates throughout the proceedings, and making ourselves accessible and responsive.
We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of service to our clients, and we fight hard to achieve optimal results in the shortest period of time.
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Australia’s Most Awarded Criminal Law Firm
We have received more awards and accolades than any other criminal law firm in Australia. Our team has been awarded “Criminal Defence Firm of the Year in Australia” in a number of prestigious and competitive awards programs for several years running.
The awards recognise our exceptional track record of results, our outstanding client service, the high level of satisfaction we achieve, the affordability of our services and our overall excellence.
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Fixed Fees
We want our clients to know exactly how much their cases will cost from the very start. That’s why we were the first criminal law firm in Australia to publish ‘fixed fees’, back in 2004.
We offer fixed fees for most types of criminal cases and services.Our fixed fees apply to a range of Local Court cases such as drink driving, drug possession, fraud, common assault and AVOs, and also specific services such as prison visits, bail applications, appeals and defended hearings.
Unlike many other law firms, our fixed fees are published on our website – which ensures transparency and certainty.
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Free First Appointment
For those who are going to court, we offer a free first conference of up to an hour with one of our Senior Criminal Defence Lawyers.
We also offer a free first conference to those who have received an unsatisfactory result after being represented in court by another law firm, or after representing themselves, and wish to appeal.
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Specialist Lawyer Guarantee
We guarantee that only lawyers with substantial criminal defence experience will work on your case and appear for you in court.
This ensures our clients receive the highest quality representation from an experienced, specialist criminal lawyer.
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All NSW Courts
From Bombala to Broken Hill, our lawyers appear in courts throughout New South Wales – and across Australia for Commonwealth cases.
And we offer fixed fees for most criminal and traffic law cases throughout the state.
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Accredited Specialists
Our entire firm is exclusively dedicated to criminal law – which makes us true specialists. All of our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in criminal cases, and our principal has been certified by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 2005.
An ‘Accredited Specialist’ is a lawyer who has practised for at least 5 years in a particular field of law (such as criminal law), has passed a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Law Society of NSW, and has been selected by the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Law Society as an expert in the field.
Accredited Specialists are required to undertake more training each year than other lawyers and must be successful in having their accreditation renewed every year. Specialist Accreditation is the mark of a true specialist.
Our firm’s specialist experience ensures you receive the best possible result, whatever your criminal law case may be.
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Results-Focused Law Firm
Our team is passionate about achieving results, and unlike many other law firms, our lawyers do not have monthly financial ‘budgets’ to meet.
The absence of budgets means our lawyers are entirely focused on achieving optimal results in the shortest space of time; whether by getting charges dropped or downgraded at an early stage or having cases ‘thrown out of court’.
Not having budgets also means our lawyers are not under pressure to engage in unscrupulous practices such as unnecessarily adjourning cases or ‘overcharging’ clients – which, sadly, is a common complaint against many other lawyers and law firms.
No budgets encourages regular consultation between lawyers within the firm – promoting an ‘open door’, team environment where lawyers bounce ideas off one another, formulate case strategy together and benefit from each other’s specialised experience, methods, techniques and insights.
The result is a firm which delivers optimal outcomes in the shortest time periods, at the least expense and stress to our clients.
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Team of Lawyers Behind You
Our clients benefit from the pool of knowledge that only an extensive team of experienced criminal defence lawyers can provide.
Our lawyers regularly consult one another to stay ‘ahead of the pack’ in the ever-changing field of criminal law – constantly devising, refining and implementing specialised techniques which ensure our clients achieve the best possible outcomes.
A team approach is particularly important when it comes to serious criminal cases such as murder, commercial drug cases, serious and sexual assaults, large-scale fraud, robbery and other ‘indictable’ cases.
In such matters, clients reap the benefits of several lawyers devising and executing case strategies which maximise the chances of having cases dropped or downgraded at an early stage, or ‘thrown out of court’ – often saving clients a great deal of cost, time and anxiety.
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Familiar with Magistrates and Judges
Each of our lawyers appears in court on a daily basis, and has done so for years. We have therefore been able to develop an understanding of, and rapport with, magistrates and judges in Sydney and indeed across the state.
Our team’s extensive experience before the courts ensures your case is tailored to the specific nuances of individual judicial officers, maximising the likelihood of a favourable result.
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Convenience
We have offices in locations across the Sydney Metropolitan Area and beyond, including:
- the Sydney CBD, on Castlereagh Street, directly opposite Downing Centre Court,
- Liverpool, directly opposite Liverpool Local Court, and
- Parramatta, near the justice precinct.
We offer free parking at our Sydney CBD offices, and all of our offices are close to train stations and bus terminals.
For those who are unable to attend our offices, we offer conferences by telephone, Skye and FaceTime anywhere around the world.
If you are going to court and wish to arrange a free first consultation, call our 24 hour hotline on (02) 9261 8881 or send us an email at info@sydneycriminallawyers.com.au.