Motoring offences
Motoring offences are rarely “open and shut cases” and there is usually something a specialist road traffic / motoring solicitor can do to help you.
You should never plead guilty to an allegation until you have sought the advice of a road traffic lawyer because no matter how clear the case against you may seem, the specialist motoring lawyer may be able to do something that helps you avoid the penalty points and/or fine and/or a driving ban. It is also common that the lawyer can help you avoid the conviction altogether.
It is not only the “serious offences” that can cause big problems, “driving without due care and attention” can carry up to 9 points, a disqualification and a fine of between £2,500 to £5,000. So don’t rely on advice from friends, call us and speak to an expert motoring offence solicitor now.
We cover all courts and police stations in England and Wales. We charge the same fee no matter where the case is and we can assist at all stages of the case, from receipt of a notice of intended prosecution through to full representation at court. We can also get involved at any stage whether you require us to attend with you at the police station for an interview or whether you wish to pursue an appeal to the European Courts.
Fixed fee Price Scale:
Our Fees
Fixed Fee: £450 + vat (£90.00) = £540.00
What is included?
- Attendance and/or preparation;
- Considering evidence;
- Taking your instructions;
- Providing advice on plea 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[i] hearing;
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.
- More than one court hearing. if we are required to attend a further hearing with you then these will be charged at £350.00 plus vat (£70) = £420.00. This will include any further preparatory work required to be undertaken between and for the hearings.
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 £100.00 plus vat (£20.00) = £120.00) per statement;
- 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 a half day;
- 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 fee: £1750.00 plus vat (£350.00) = £2100.00.
What is included?
All of the above plus:
- Additional meetings with you;
- All preparatory work to take the case through to a contested trial;
- In addition to the first hearing where your plea is entered we will also include a one day trial;
- Liaising with any experts or third parties on your behalf;
- Interviewing of witnesses and preparing of statements;
What is not included?
- The fees of any expert witnesses we have to employ on your behalf. We will of course advise you of the available experts and their fees and we will require that you let us have their fees in advance to hold before we can formally instruct them to carry out the required work;
- Advice or assistance in relation to any appeal.
- More than one preliminary court hearing. If we are required to attend any further interim, pre-trial hearings for you then these will be charged at £350.00 plus vat (£70) = £420.00. This will include any further preparatory work required to be undertaken between and for the hearings.
- Any additional trial day hearings. If the trial is not concluded in a single day then additional trial days will be charged at the rate of £750.00 plus vat (£150.00) = £900.00.
- Any hearing for sentencing in the event of conviction. If the sentencing takes place on the same day as the trial then there will be no further fees payable as this will be covered by the fee payable for that day, but if the hearing is adjourned then any single sentencing hearing will be charged at £450.00 plus vat (£90.00) = £540.00.
Our Motoring Offences Team
All of our solicitors undertake motoring offence work and you can read more about each of them here (insert link to about us page) and their grade and charge our rates here
Other team members
See more About Howards Solicitors here
[i] 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.