Driving Offences

Our pricing for defending prosecutions for driving offences (and related matters) depend on a number of factors:

• the complexity of the case;

• the location of the Court;

• the nature of the Hearing: guilty plea, Trial, exceptional hardship or Special Reasons argument;

• the importance of the outcome to the client.

We operate on a fixed fee basis as opposing to charging by reference to hourly rates. Our Fees will be discussed once the case has been assessed and will then be agreed. If the situation changes because, for example, a proposed guilty plea becomes a Trial or other contested Hearing, the original Fee will be revised. Additional interim Hearings will be quoted for separately.

The price range for dealing with various cases is as follows:

• simple guilty plea at Wirral or Liverpool Magistrates Court: £700.00 - £800.00 excluding VAT;

• an exceptional hardship, Trial or Special Reasons Hearing at Wirral or Liverpool Magistrates Court £900.00 - £1,500.00 excluding VAT.

Fees for Hearings further afield will be discussed on a case by case basis.

Disbursements

“Disbursements” are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as medical or forensic experts. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Other disbursements will include parking charges & travel costs including mileage which we charge at 45p per mile plus VAT.

Our experienced Solicitor Advocates handle the majority of advocacy themselves.  However, Counsel are sometimes required. Counsel's fees are estimated at between £750.00 to £1,500 excluding VAT per day (depending on the experience of the Barrister) for attending a Court Hearing (including preparation).

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a case:

• taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely outcome and sentence;

• obtaining the initial evidence on which the Prosecution rely;

• Preparing for (and attending) one Hearing;

• Preparing bundles of documents when required;

• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel if appropriate.

Timescales 

Most guilty pleas are dealt with on one occasion and will be concluded on that day.

Trial cases for summary only motoring offences will usually conclude within 3 months of the first court appearance. Trial cases usually accommodate up to three hearings.

Timescales can vary from case to case.

VAT will be charged at 20%.