- We can help you if you are being taken to Court for driving offences.
- We recognise that this type of case can be extremely worrying and very often our Clients have not had any previous dealings with the Criminal Justice System.
- We have successfully defended our Clients in all types of driving offences ranging from speeding to causing death by dangerous driving.
- Also included are offences of driving with excess alcohol, driving whilst disqualified, careless driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance and driving without a valid licence.
- The first objective will be to always ascertain if it is possible to avoid a driving disqualification or a criminal conviction.
- This is because we appreciate the consequences following a driving disqualification or a criminal conviction can be severe for the individual Client. The possible loss of employment or the risk of receiving a custodial sentence is something that all of us can identify with.
- After taking your instructions we may be able to identify a defence that is available to you.
- We may also be able to establish whether a conviction would cause exceptional hardship or whether special reasons can be put forward in our mitigation of you.
- Please call or email us if you or a friend or a member of your family needs our help.
Some of Our Recent Successful Cases
Acquittal of Driving with Excess Alcohol
Our Client was charged with being almost three times over the prescribed limit for alcohol whilst driving a motor vehicle.
Our Client was found in his crashed VW Golf in the driver’s side with the air bag having gone off.
The evidence seemed overwhelming until upon closer scrutiny of the case it was established that no one had actually seen our Client drive the car. Moreover, our Client insisted that his wife had been driving and she had fled the scene after the crash.
Our Client had reached over for his cigarettes in the driver’s side compartment when the airbag went off.
Our Client’s wife attended Court as a witness to give evidence and our Client was found not guilty at his Trial at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court.
Acquittal of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving and False Imprisonment
Our Client was a mini-cab driver. It was alleged that he had caused death by dangerous driving because one of his passengers had tried to leave his cab, but she had fallen and hit her head on the pavement, causing her death.
The issue in this case was identification because our Client denied being the driver.
We instructed a top Reconstruction Expert.
Our Client was acquitted at his Trial of causing death by dangerous driving at Blackfriars Crown Court.
The Prosecution had also alleged that our Client had falsely imprisoned other passengers, when he had driven off from the police at speed, holding other passengers prisoner in his cab.
Our Client was also found not guilty of the offence of false imprisonment at his Trial.
ROAD TRAFFIC AND MOTORING OFFENCES FIXED FEES
We offer fixed fees in connection with summary only motoring offences under Part 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
We at Edwards Vaziraney, understand the need for clients to be aware of the costs they will incur for our services so that you can make informed choices.
Unless stated as a specific exclusion, the price includes:
- A qualified solicitor considering the evidence
- Consultation at court
- Providing advice in relation to plea and likely sentence
- Representation at a single hearing
Every case is different and we therefore offer a fixed fee pricing range depending on the complexity of the case and the seniority of the Solicitor you choose to instruct.
Where it may be necessary to instruct an Expert to prepare a Report, for example, in the event that you require us to argue Special Reasons at a Special Reasons Hearing, this would represent a cost in addition to the Firm’s Fixed Fee but we would let you know if this additional cost would be necessary after consulting with you and after consulting with the Expert, we would be able to inform you of the cost of his Report.
Representation for a First Hearing at the Magistrates Court
We offer a fixed fee range of £400.00 plus VAT to £600.00 plus VAT to cover the consultation, litigation and advocacy at court, depending on the complexity and seniority of the Solicitor you choose to instruct.
If you would like to meet your Solicitor face to face at an appointment at our office in advance of your first hearing, we offer a fixed fee range of £500.00 plus VAT to £700.00 plus VAT to cover this as well as covering a further consultation at court and the litigation and advocacy at court.
Representation at the Magistrates Court to argue “Exceptional Hardship “ or “Special Reasons” at a First Hearing at the Magistrates Court
In the event of you requiring us to argue “Exceptional Hardship” or “Special Reasons” on your behalf at your First Hearing at the Magistrates Court, we offer a fixed fee range of £1000.00 plus VAT to £1500.00 plus VAT depending on the complexity of the legal service required and the seniority of the Solicitor you instruct. The Fixed Fee includes a face to face consultation in our office, as well as covering the cost of litigation and our advocacy at court.
Representation at the Magistrates Court for a Trial
In the event of you entering not guilty pleas at your First Hearing and your case proceeds to a Trial, we offer a fixed fee range of £1500.00 plus VAT to £2500.00 plus VAT which will provide for a consultation in our office, and the litigation and the advocacy at your Trial. The fixed fee range depends on the complexity of your case and the seniority of the Solicitor you instruct.
Regarding the time scale for when a Trial will take place, the Magistrates Court will normally fix the trial date after not guilty pleas are entered at the First Hearing at the Magistrates Court and depending on the busyness of the Court, a Trial will normally take place within one to nine months.
Included in our fixed fees for a Trial are the following:
- You will meet with your solicitor at our office to provide instructions on what happened.
- We will consider the initial disclosure made by the Prosecution and any other evidence and provide advice.
- We will arrange to take any witness statements if necessary ( this may have an additional cost if a large amount is required).
- We will explain the court procedure to you so that you know what to expect on the day of your hearing, and the sentencing options available to the court.
- We will conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you if necessary and answer any further queries you have.
- We will attend court on the day with you and have a further consultation with you at court and represent you at your Trial.
- We will discuss the outcome with you. If advice is required on appeal, this may carry an additional cost.
Our stated fixed fees are based on attending Magistrates Courts within 10 miles of our office. For attending Magistrates Courts outside of this radius, we can agree travel disbursements with you in advance and set these out in our private client care letter to you, together with confirmation of our fixed fee plus VAT.