Solicitors for Criminal Trials

Our Reputation

We are a Leading National Private Client Criminal Defence Law Firm, that frequently receives 5-star reviews and positive feedback from satisfied clients on Trustpilot, Google Reviews and Yell.

Our ever growing law firm is ranked as a leading firm in the field of Criminal Law by the prestigious Chambers UK Law Firm guide and The Legal 500. This reputation has been developed by providing unrivalled expertise, practical advice, communication and court advocacy.

We are also recognised as a Best Rated law firm in Birmingham and Milton Keynes. This reputation has been developed by providing unrivalled expertise, practical advice, communication and court advocacy.

If you choose to appoint us to defend your case, we guarantee that you will be provided with the best legal representation available, which in turn will provide you with the best chance of a successful result at Court.

Advantages of Paying Privately for a Specialist Criminal Defence Lawyer

1. Expertise: There are very limited number of law firms throughout the country that only accept criminal cases on a private fee-paying basis, these lawyers will usually only accept such cases because they possess superior legal knowledge and expertise.
2. Communication: Paying for legal representation privately will usually result in better and more frequent communication with your Solicitor and Barrister. Lawyers paid privately will usually respond to e-mails and phone calls quickly.
3. Preparation: The amount of time a lawyer spends preparing a case and considering the evidence will have an impact upon the result. Paying privately will ensure that the lawyer can spend enough time on case preparation, which will have a positive impact on the overall outcome of the case. We prepare thoroughly for each case.
4. Service: Clients that instruct lawyers via private funds will receive a substantially better service than those using legal aid.   
5. Quality: The overall quality of legal representation from private client solicitors is significantly superior.
6. Consistency: We provide all our clients with consistency and continuity, the lawyer dealing with your case will be the same person from start to finish.

What Evidence Will the Court Consider at Trial?

The evidence considered by the Court will depend upon the type of offence and the evidence available to the Prosecution or Defence Lawyers. A criminal trial may include the following evidence:

Should you Have a Trial?

The question of whether a trial is the right choice for you will require a detailed analysis of the evidence, your version of events and the appropriate law. If you are considering this as an opinion you should seek expert legal advice from a criminal defence solicitor. If you would like more details, please call us on 0330 818 9837 and we will be able to give you some general points to consider before making your decision.

When is a Trial Suitable?

• A trial could be suitable if the allegation made against you is false and you vehemently deny committing the offence;
• If you have evidence which supports, your innocence;
• If there is a legal defence applicable to your circumstances.

Magistrates’ or Crown Court

Whether your trial takes place in the Magistrates’ or Crown Court will largely depend upon the type of offence you are being prosecuted for. If the criminal offence is less serious it is more likely to be heard in the Magistrates’ Court and if the offence is of a serious nature, it will usually be heard before the Crown Court. 

In certain types of offences, a defendant can choose which Court the trial takes place in because the offence is a ‘either way offence’. There are many advantages and disadvantages of each Court and this is a topic which requires a detailed meeting with a specialist criminal defence solicitor before you decide.

What if a Defendant pleads Guilty?   

If a person facing prosecution pleads guilty to all the charges, then a trial will not take place. A trial is not necessary when a guilty plea is entered because the Defendant accepts the wrongdoing.

If a Defendant is being prosecuted for several offences, a Defendant may decide to plead guilty to some offences and not guilty to others. In such circumstances, it will usually be necessary for a trial to take place in respect of what the Defendant pleaded not guilty.

How a Decision is Made at Trial

If a matter is progressing to trial, this would usually mean that the Defendant denies the allegation placed against him/her by the prosecution. The onus will be upon the prosecuting authority (CPS/ Police) to prove (beyond all reasonable doubt in Criminal prosecutions) that the offence has been committed.

The Court will hear evidence from the Prosecution and Defence. Evidence will usually be heard in the form of oral testimony from witnesses, expert witnesses, video evidence and photographic evidence. The prosecution lawyer will seek to undermine evidence adduced by the Defence and the Defence lawyer will seek to identify weaknesses in the prosecution evidence/case.

The Court may also hear legal submissions from the defence as to the admissibility of evidence (if appropriate) along with closing submissions which are carefully crafted to assist the case.

The Court will then consider the evidence which was presented during the trials along with the appropriate legislation to determine whether the offence has been committed.

Why You Need Legal Representation at Trial   

In short, without a lawyer defending your case at trial, the likelihood is that you will be convicted. Attempting to defend yourself at trial is not recommended. If you are considering pleading not guilty, and progressing your case to trial, you should instruct a specialist lawyer to represent you at Court so that you have the best possible chance of being acquitted.

Below are some reasons why you should instruct a lawyer to defend you at trial:

• The prosecution has a qualified lawyer to prosecute you. A prosecutor will undertake his / her role to the best of their ability and will not ‘take it easy’ because you are not legally represented.
• If you decide not to instruct a lawyer to defend your case, you have made the job to prosecute you far easier for the prosecutor.
• Because you are not a lawyer, the prosecutor may seek to ‘push the boundaries’ when in Court as you will not be aware of what they can and more importantly can’t do.
• Your individual circumstances may have contained a defence which was not raised by you, as you were not aware that the defence existed.
• You may decide to plead guilty to something when there was a defence available.
• You will not possess the appropriate skill and experience to cross-examine prosecution witnesses. This is a skill which takes qualified lawyers several years to master.
• There could be procedural errors in the prosecution case which could potentially make the prosecution invalid. Without the assistance of an experienced lawyer, you will be unaware of these potential errors.
• A conviction could potentially be detrimental to your liberty or business.
• A litigant in person will not possess the skill on how to properly prepare a case for trial.
• A litigant in person is unlikely to possess the confidence to present a case in Court.

If you are pleading not guilty and wish to stand a reasonable chance of being acquitted (found not guilty) you should certainly instruct a suitably qualified Solicitor / Barrister to present your case before the Court.